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Evening Protests Explode In Venezuela As Opposition Crowds Descend On Caracas, Head To Presidential Palace

Tyler Durden's Photo
by Tyler Durden
Tuesday, Jul 30, 2024 - 03:35 AM

Summary: While things were somewhat calm through much of the daylight hours on the streets of Caracas, tensions are now at boiling point and full-blown confrontations with police as thousands of opposition supporters have been literally walking, some from rural areas, to the Presidential Palace. BBC and CNN are confirming that Maduro's security services have fired tear gas and rubber bullets against outraged demonstrators who believe Sunday's election was stolen. Some US members of Congress have added their voice, urging the White House not to recognize the results of a Maduro victory.

"Thousands of people descended on central Caracas on Monday evening, some walking for miles from slums on the mountains surrounding the city, towards the presidential palace," writes BBC. A handful of other cities have also witnessed unrest Monday, confirms CNN: "Protests were also reported in other cities, including Maracay, where opposition activist Esthefania Natera told CNN that people were on the streets "to yell and demand to tell the truth because we know the real results." The coastal state of Falcón saw demonstrators topple a statue of leftist icon and Maduro mentor Hugo Chavez, according to activists posting video on social media.

Like with prior instances of brief unrest in the last couple years, in some areas police and military personnel appear to have retreated or even abandoned their armored vehicles.

Some US hawks are openly calling for regime change, and have urged the protesters to go all the way to the Presidential Palace to confront socialist strongman Maduro...

There actually appears to be more than one Chavez statue that has been toppled in different locations at this point, a huge and fierce message by protesters aimed at the regime.

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earlier: By most accounts, things are surprisingly quiet on the streets of Caracas, despite the opposition candidate Edmundo González and his backers, specifically the prominent and outspoken Maria Corina Machado, loudly contesting the result. There have been some reports of protesters blocking highways and burning tires, including to the capital's international airport, however. It's not just that the opposition says that the election was stolen, but that González actually won by a land-slide: "Venezuela opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said early on Monday that opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez won 70% of the vote in a presidential contest over the weekend," writes Reuters. This came just after the government controlled national electoral council announced a 51% victory for President Nicolas Maduro. This flew in the face of several exit polls. According to more from Bloomberg: "After a lengthy delay following the closing of polls, Venezuela’s electoral center said Maduro won 51.2% of the vote, compared with 44.2% for rival Edmundo González. But opposition leader María Corina Machado, who was barred from running, said her coalition had gained access to 40% of the tabulated votes and had González winning 70% of the vote so far."

The international reaction has rolled in since the early morning hours. Predictably, the United States has raised "serious concerns" over the voting process, but overall the Biden White House has issued a fairly tame message. "It is critical that every vote be counted fairly and transparently, that election officials immediately share information with the opposition and independent observes without delay and that the electoral authorities publish the detailed tabulations of votes," Secretary Blinken said. As for Mexico, it also issued a calm statement, with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador saying: "If the electoral authority confirms the current trend, we will recognize the government-elect."

But this is contrasted in the reaction of firebrand conservative Argentina President Javier Milei: "Argentina will not recognize another fraud, and hopes that this time the Armed Forces will defend democracy and popular will," he had said just ahead of the announced election results. Peru too said it will not recognize the results, and even recalled its ambassador from Venezuela for consultations. "I condemn in all extremity the sum of irregularities with the intention of fraud committed by the Venezuelan government. Peru will not accept the violation of the popular will of the Venezuelan people," Foreign Minister Javier Gonzales-Olaechea posted on X.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro celebrates

Russia and China of course stand out as strong backers of Maduro, with President Putin congratulating him on his win: "Russian-Venezuelan relations have the character of a strategic partnership. I am confident that your activities at the head of state will continue to contribute to their progressive development in all directions." Putin even said, "Remember that you are always a welcome guest on Russian soil."

And China and Cuba: China hailed Maduro's "successful re-election" said the country should be praised for "smoothly holding its presidential election," according to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian. "China stands ready to enrich our all-weather strategic partnership and better benefit the peoples of both countries," the statement said. "China and Venezuela are good friends and partners who support each other." Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel expressed support for his "brother" Nicolas Maduro... "your victory, which is that of the Bolivarian and Chavista people, has cleanly and unequivocally defeated the pro-imperialist opposition," he wrote on X. "They also defeated the regional, interventionist and Monroist right. The people spoke and the Revolution won." All of these countries, including Russia, are military allies with Caracas as well.

Meanwhile, the last 24 hours of voting in Venezuela has sparked a fierce online debate about who is ultimately to blame for the country's longtime severe economic woes, which has lately seen waves of mass migration. Socialism or sanctions?... or perhaps decades of both/and... 

Some in Congress are already calling for immediate action from the US administration, and urge that Maduro's third term should not be recognized.

Some are also calling for some kind of political intervention (or worse) with a declaration only recognizing the opposition (Juan Guaido-style).

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Update(02:00ET): The Venezuelan government has announced official election results shortly after midnight: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has won a third term with 51% of the vote, announced the country’s electoral authority, with 80% of ballot boxes counted. But there are widespread reports that several key exit polls pointed to a huge opposition upset victory by Edmundo González.

The opposition is claiming victory and that the election has been stolen amid reports that Maduro's security forces have deployed significant numbers of armored vehicles and heavily armed-police to the streets of Caracas ahead of likely unrest.

The opposition is further calling on the military to turn against Maduro and back the 'rightful' victory of Gonzalez.

The Associated Press has detailed in an overnight update:

Venezuela’s opposition claimed Edmundo González defeated President Nicolás Maduro in Sunday’s presidential election, setting up a showdown with the government, which earlier declared Maduro the winner.

“The Venezuelans and the entire world know what happened,” González said in his first remarks. Opposition leader María Corina Machado made the announcement standing alongside González, whose margin of victory she said was “overwhelming.” Earlier the opposition said it had obtained voting tallies from about 30% of ballot boxes nationwide, with more expected overnight.

The National Electoral Council, which is controlled by Maduro loyalists, has yet to provide the tallies from 30,000 polling booths nationwide.

AP: Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, right, & presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez hold press conference after electoral authorities declared Maduro the winner.

Regardless of what actually happen or what will happen in terms of the possibility of violence, it's clear that the leftist and socialist Venezuelan government just suffered its most significant electoral test and shock in decades.

Some regional and external governments have signaled they will not recognize Maduro's 'win'...

The populace could be gearing up for a fight, but if violence doesn't spiral within the next 24-48 hours, the situation is likely to remain stable. All eyes will also be on Washington Monday, waiting to see how forcefully the US administration condemns the outcome.

Meanwhile, an interesting recent admission and revelation...

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President Nicolas Maduro alarmed and riled his enemies as well as Washington and its allies by declaring just ahead of Sunday’s elections: "If you don’t want Venezuela to fall into a bloodbath, into a fratricidal civil war, due to the fascists, let’s ensure the greatest success and greatest victory in the electoral history of our people."

Many pundits are taking this as a warning that he'll refuse to give up power in the unlikely event he loses his bid for six more years in office, which would be his third term. While there are eight names total on the ballot as Venezuelans wait in long lines to vote Sunday, 74-year old opposition candidate and former diplomat Edmundo González Urrutia is considered the only real contender who has a chance of defeating Maduro.

González is basically the surrogate candidate for María Corina Machado, who has organized the opposition and has become wildly popular, even recently gaining name recognition abroad and in US media.

Edmundo González Urrutia and Nicolás Maduro vote on Sunday.

Maduro and his United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) have ruled over the central American country since 2013, after he took over following the death of his mentor, far-left icon Hugo Chavez.

Millions of desperate citizens have already left their country in search of work and opportunities abroad amid a crushed economy and rampant accusations of corruption against Maduro government officials. Millions more may leave if his power is extended for another term.

Polls have seen massive queues since they opened at 6am, but already there are reports of barriers in pro-opposition areas and stories of black-clad, masked men blocking voting stations, as The New York Times has alleged. "The destiny of Venezuela depends on our victory," Maduro has proclaimed at campaign rallies, while decrying efforts of a hidden imperialist foreign hand to thwart his aims, as well as longtime US-led sanctions.

Both the United States and Brazil have issued messages of "we're watching closely":

Asked in a press briefing whether Maduro was likely to rig Sunday’s vote, John Kirby, White House national security spokesperson, said it was difficult to know how the situation would play out but that the U.S. wanted “to make it clear to Mr. Maduro that we’re watching, we’re watching closely.”

Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has also urged Maduro to respect the results, telling international news agencies that he was “scared” by the Venezuelan’s recent remarks, Reuters reported.

Brazil’s president added that Maduro “needs to learn that when you win, you stay; when you lose, you leave.”

Some analysts expect some degree of unrest and violence to break out no matter who emerges victorious, with either side set to contest.

"On the basis of their own exit polls, the opposition will probably declare victory and push for regime change, ushering in a period of heightened political tension and uncertainty ahead of the inauguration," Andre Masuko, a research analyst with the Economist Intelligence Unit, stated to CNBC.

"However, we do not expect the Maduro regime to be overthrown. His strict control over the country’s institutions, including the security forces, the judiciary and the electoral national council (CNE), will be instrumental in helping him to stay in power," he underscored.

One big unpredictable scenario of huge consequence is whether the US would throw its support behind any opposition allegations claims of widespread election abuse and fraud.

Meanwhile, the usual Neocon suspects in Congress are alleging a 'stolen' national election before the ballots are even in...

Washington weighing in too forcefully would set the stage for another anti-opposition crackdown by Maduro government security services.

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