Expansion of Protests in Venezuela Against 'Maduro' in at Least 20 States

The Venezuelan opposition announced that it has confirmed the count of votes indicating their victory over Nicolas Maduro, who claims he has won. Meanwhile, anti-government protests have erupted across the country, with police firing tear gas to disperse demonstrators in Caracas, the capital. The 'Venezuela Conflict Observatory' reported that by 6 PM, 187 protests had been recorded in 20 states. According to Reuters, after Maduro was declared the winner of the disputed election, protesters took to the streets, including near the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas. Many people organized 'cacerolazo' protests across the country—a traditional Latin American protest where people bang pots and pans. Protesters chanted: 'I don't want gold, I don't want CLAP (the government's food aid program), I want Nicolas (Maduro) to go.' Many rode motorcycles, blocked streets, or covered themselves with the Venezuelan flag, while others wrapped their faces with scarves to protect against tear gas. In Caracas, heavily armed police forced protesters to run by throwing tear gas, while other officers set up barriers with tall shields and batons. In Coro, the capital of Falcon state, protesters celebrated and danced after destroying a statue of former President Hugo Chavez. An anonymous protester told Reuters: 'I will fight for my country's democracy. They stole the election from us. We must continue the fight for the youth.' In response to the expanding protests, Maduro stated in a live program from the presidential palace that his forces would act violently against the demonstrators. The armed forces have long supported Maduro, and there are no signs that military leaders are separating from the government. According to the Venezuela Conflict Observatory, 'numerous instances of repression and violence by militia groups and security forces have been reported.' At least two people were killed in connection with the vote counting or protests—one at night in the border state of Tachira and another in Maracay on Monday. The day before, electoral officials had declared 'Nicolas Maduro' the winner of the election, which faced opposition protests. Both sides called for gatherings; the Venezuelan opposition claims to have evidence that its candidate defeated Maduro. The protests began as the public questioned Maduro's victory claims. Antony Blinken stated that the announced results of the Venezuelan elections do not reflect the votes. Maduro was declared the winner of the Venezuelan elections, while opponents claimed disorder and violations occurred. The presidential elections in Venezuela have raised warnings about the potential for a 'bloodbath'; the U.S. stated it is not prejudging the situation.