The political crisis in Venezuela deepened on Tuesday as opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia defied a second summons to appear before prosecutors investigating his claim to have won the July 28 presidential election.
Gonzalez Urrutia, a 74-year-old retired diplomat, went into hiding after the government declared President Nicolas Maduro the winner. The authorities are accusing him of “usurpation of functions” and “forgery of public documents” for his claim to the presidency.
The Unitary Platform opposition coalition, which backs Gonzalez Urrutia, denounced the summons as “judicial harassment.” They maintain that Gonzalez Urrutia won the election “by an overwhelming majority” and expressed concern about the possibility of an arrest warrant.
The dispute stems from the government’s refusal to release detailed election results. While the National Electoral Council (CNE) declared Maduro the victor with 52% of the vote, it has not provided a breakdown of the results, claiming hacking attempts corrupted the data.
The opposition, however, has published polling-station-level results that suggest Gonzalez Urrutia garnered 67% of the vote, defeating Maduro. This has led to a standoff, with the government accusing the opposition of “usurping” the powers of the CNE.
The standoff has sparked fresh protests, with both the government and the opposition calling for demonstrations. Notably, Maria Corina Machado, a leading opposition figure who was banned from running in the election, has thrown her support behind Gonzalez Urrutia and urged supporters to take to the streets.
The international community has also weighed in on the controversy. The United States, the European Union, and several Latin American countries have refused to recognize Maduro’s victory, demanding the release of detailed election results.
The outcome of this crisis remains uncertain. The international community’s ability to exert pressure on Maduro is crucial. If the pressure is insufficient, Maduro could continue to hold onto power, despite the disputed election and the economic collapse that has plagued Venezuela under his leadership.
The situation highlights the deep political divisions in Venezuela, with the opposition and the government engaged in a power struggle that has brought the country to the brink of further instability.
