The head of Venezuela’s Supreme Court has declared opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez in contempt of court for skipping a hearing to certify the results of the country’s July 28 presidential election. Gonzalez, who insists he defeated incumbent Nicolas Maduro, was summoned by the court, acting on Maduro’s request, along with other candidates and representatives of their parties.
The court president, Caryslia Rodriguez, announced Gonzalez’s non-appearance, stating, “Please…let it be recorded in the minutes that (Gonzalez) did not appear and that he did not comply with the summons.” Gonzalez had previously written a letter stating his fear of arrest if he attended the hearing. “If I go to the electoral chamber (of the Supreme Court) in these conditions I will be totally vulnerable due to powerlessness and violation of due process and I will put at risk not only my freedom but, more importantly, the will of the Venezuelan people as they expressed on July 28,” Gonzalez said.
Venezuela’s electoral authority, accused of bias towards Maduro by the opposition, declared him the winner early on July 29, citing around 51% of the vote. However, the authority has yet to release the voting tallies, fueling the opposition’s claims of fraud. The opposition, led by Maria Corina Machado and Gonzalez, asserts they have copies of the voting tallies indicating they won with over 7 million votes, compared to Maduro’s 3.3 million. This result aligns with independent exit polls.
Following the disputed election, a wave of anti-Maduro protests erupted across Venezuela, leading to concerns about a crackdown on dissent. Advocacy groups have raised alarms over security forces rounding up suspected protesters in what is known as “operation knock-knock.” Authorities claim these operations target individuals accused of violent crimes during demonstrations.
Late on Tuesday, a video surfaced on Instagram showing security officers attempting to break into the home of Maria Oropeza, a coordinator for Machado’s Vente Venezuela political movement, in Guanare, Portuguesa state. Oropeza could be heard asking for a warrant before the video cut to black. Her current whereabouts remain unknown.
Venezuela’s Attorney General Tarek Saab has opened a criminal investigation against Machado and Gonzalez for allegedly inciting security forces to disobey the law after they published a letter urging the police and military to stand with the people.
While Russia and China, among others, have congratulated Maduro on his victory, many Western countries have expressed skepticism and called for the release of a full vote tally. Chile’s leftist President Gabriel Boric outright rejected Maduro’s win, claiming “no doubt” that the Venezuelan government had engaged in fraud to maintain power. This statement sparked a sharp rebuke from Venezuelan Foreign Minister Ivan Gil, who also claimed that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan had spoken with Maduro and that Istanbul had congratulated the Venezuelan people on the election. Turkey, in a statement on X, said it would continue to support dialogue efforts in Venezuela.
