US and EU lawmakers threaten Maduro with liability if he refuses to leave his post
Representatives of the US and EU legislative bodies overseeing international relations have threatened Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro with «responsibility» if he does not voluntarily resign from his presidential powers. The document was published on the website of the US Congress.
The statement says that the US and EU authorities are monitoring the situation in Venezuela. The document notes that «responsibility» threatens Maduro if he «continues to ignore the democratic will of the Venezuelan people and decides to steal the results of another election.»
In addition, as follows from the statement, the US and EU authorities consider the election results «fabricated» and have «evidence» of the victory of opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez. Maduro is also offered to start a dialogue on a peaceful transfer of power.
On July 28, 2023, presidential elections were held in Venezuela, the results of which led to political disagreements both within the country and abroad. According to the head of the National Electoral Council, Elvis Amoroso, incumbent President Nicolás Maduro won with 51.95% of the vote, while his rival Edmundo González received 43.18%. The vote count was completed with a 96.87% mark, which, according to the authorities, confirms the legitimacy of the elections, RIA Novosti writes, citing the National Electoral Commission.
However, despite the official results, mass protests spontaneously began in the country. The day after the elections, clashes broke out between those who disagreed with the election results and the police in Caracas and other cities in Venezuela. Demonstrators began throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at law enforcement officers. The protests quickly escalated into acts of vandalism and looting, which only worsened the already tense situation.
In response to the riots, the Venezuelan authorities took tough measures. Nicolas Maduro said that more than 1.2 thousand people were detained and accused of destroying state infrastructure, inciting hatred and terrorism.
The situation in Venezuela has also attracted attention from Russia. Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said that the Venezuelan opposition must admit defeat and respect the elections, which, according to Moscow, were held in accordance with the law. He also warned third countries against interfering in Venezuela's affairs, emphasizing the importance of the country's sovereignty and internal stability.
International reaction to the Venezuelan elections was mixed. Some countries, such as Cuba and China, expressed support for Maduro and his government, while others, including the United States and Latin American countries, condemned the elections as unfair and illegitimate.