New protests were sparked in Venezuela this week with many speaking out against President Nicolás Maduro's victory in the country's recent elections.
On Wednesday, protesters took to the streets in Venezuela to speak out against Maduro's presidency after he was declared the winner last month in a contest that was highly criticized.
Maduro was declared victorious in the country's presidential race on June 28, however, there was evidence that his opponent, Edmundo González, won by an almost 2-1 margin. Many nations across the globe have spoken out against Madura's presidency since he was declared the winner.
Throughout weeks of sporadic demonstrations, the opposition's message has remained consistent but has yet to yield results. Protesters are demanding that election officials release the results from each polling station, claiming this would reveal Maduro's alleged efforts to rig the election.
The opposition framed the latest protest under the slogan "Voting records kill sentence," pointing to thousands of tally sheets they've posted online that contradict a recent ruling by Venezuela's pro-Maduro Supreme Court certifying his alleged victory.
On the other hand, those in support of Maduro's presidency planned a counter-protest on Wednesday where they promised to "defend" this victory against González.
As the situation deepens, Maduro has increasingly relied on security forces to maintain his grip on power. On Tuesday, he appointed a hard-line ruling party leader as interior minister, placing him in charge of the police. Diosdado Cabello, known for his tough stance, has pledged to show no mercy to the government's opponents.
The appointment of Cabello prompted some to express concerns about a possible crackdown on journalists and politicians who have spoken out against Madura's presidency. Over 2,000 individuals have already been arrested amid ongoing protests.
The recent wave of arrests took center stage during a special meeting of the Organization of American States in Washington on Wednesday, where officials discussed a report by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights detailing ongoing violations.
During the meeting, Roberta Clarke, a lawyer from Barbados and member of the commission, said "the commission condemns unequivocally practices of institutional violence in the context of the electoral process in Venezuela."
"Democracy and the rule of law must be restored," Clarke added.
Following Maduro's victory, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Biden administration had "serious concerns that the result announced does not reflect the will or the votes of the Venezuelan people."
"It's critical that every vote be counted fairly and transparently that the electoral authorities immediately share information with the opposition and independent observers without delay and that the electoral authorities publish the tabulation of votes," Blinken said. "The international community is watching this very closely and will respond accordingly."
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