Opposition Leader of Venezuela: We Will Not Leave the Streets

Continuing the crisis that has engulfed Venezuela following last week's presidential election in this Latin American country, on one hand, the opposition leader emerged from hiding to declare that opponents have "never been this strong," while on the other hand, supporters of the socialist president participated in a rally that Nicolas Maduro called "the mother of all marches." According to AFP from Caracas, Maria Corina Machado spoke to thousands of opponents of Nicolas Maduro from the back of a truck on Saturday, August 13. Machado, who had been barred from participating as the opposition leader in the elections, had gone into hiding following threats of arrest from Nicolas Maduro after the elections on August 7. Opponents claim that Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, their presidential candidate, received 67% of the votes. However, institutions affiliated with Nicolas Maduro declared him the winner with 52% of the votes, allowing him to sit in this position for a third six-year term. The United States, Argentina, and several other Latin American countries have described Edmundo Gonzalez, a 74-year-old former diplomat, as the winning president. Anthony Blinken expressed concern for the safety of both Gonzalez and Machado after a call with them on Friday. Some other countries have called on Venezuela to publish accurate data on the election results. The election commission has not released detailed results, but opponents have declared Gonzalez the definitive winner by publishing "accurate results." The United States has recognized Maduro's rival as the winner of the Venezuelan elections. France, Germany, Italy, and Spain expressed "serious concern" on Saturday, August 13, regarding the figures announced by Maduro's government. Meanwhile, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico, which have had good relations with Nicolas Maduro, have called for "impartial verification" of the results. In her speech on Saturday, Machado stated that the opponents will not leave the streets. According to her, the Maduro government has "never been weaker than today." AFP described the opposition rally as peaceful. In contrast, Maduro's supporters responded to his call to participate in "the mother of all marches" and gathered in central Caracas on Saturday evening. Maduro stated that he would not accept the "claim of victory" and actions of the opposition, which aim to "usurp the presidency again." Maduro's reference to "usurpation again" pertains to the election six years ago when his opponents accused him of fraud, and the United States and dozens of other countries recognized Juan Guaido, the then-president of the National Assembly, as interim president. However, despite all efforts and domestic and foreign support, Guaido was unable to oust Maduro from power. On Saturday, Maduro stated that military and police patrols across the country would continue "to protect the people." He reported the deaths of two police officers, the arrest of two thousand individuals, and the preparation of two prisons for holding detained protesters. Human rights groups state that during the events of the past Monday and Tuesday, after the election results were announced, angry citizens took to the streets, and Maduro's forces killed 11 protesters. According to the Associated Press, the elections were held under circumstances where 61-year-old Nicolas Maduro, after 11 years in power, had lost popularity among the people more than ever. The people consider Maduro's policies to be the cause of stagnant wages, increasing poverty, paralyzed oil industry, and the phenomenon of families being separated from each other. More than seven million people have left Venezuela in recent years due to despair over the political and economic situation in their country. This number is equivalent to one-third of the eligible voters.