Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro raises his hand during a mass rally called by supporters in Caracas, Venezuela, July 18, 2024.
Alfredo Lasry R | Getty Images News | Getty Images
The United States on Thursday recognized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s rival and opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez as the winner of Venezuela’s disputed presidential election, rejecting Maduro’s claims of victory.
“Given the overwhelming evidence, it is clear to the United States and, most importantly, to the Venezuelan people that Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia won the most votes in Venezuela’s July 28 presidential election,” the U.S. Secretary of State said. ” Antony Blinken said in a statement Thursday.
The statement from Washington simply congratulated him on his “successful campaign” and was the closest the U.S. has come to recognizing González as the OPEC nation’s new leader since Sunday’s disputed election.
A dispute over the results of the presidential election has sparked protests in Venezuela. Venezuela’s electoral commission announced that Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, won the July 28 election with 51% of the vote.
But the country’s opposition said its vote count of about 90% showed Gonzalez had more than double the support of the incumbent president, consistent with independent polls conducted before the campaign.
The opposition has posted detailed vote counts on public websites, while the government has so far not shared any information beyond the national vote totals for each candidate.
Blinken’s statement on Thursday did not threaten new sanctions against Venezuela, but he hinted at the possibility of “punitive action.” Reuters reported on Tuesday that Washington was considering new sanctions following the disputed election.
“We fully support the process of rebuilding democratic norms in Venezuela and are ready to consider working with our international partners to strengthen this process,” Blinken said.
Blinken also urged protection of opposition leaders and ensuring their safety.
“Law enforcement and security forces should not become instruments of political violence against citizens exercising their democratic rights,” he said.
The presidents of Brazil, Mexico and Colombia called on Venezuela to release a detailed vote count on Thursday amid disputed presidential election results.
