POWER SANS CHARACTER

Rajika Jayatilake critiques Venezuela’s re-elected president
Nicolás Maduro’s refusal to relinquish power amid disputes

Year 2024 is one of elections around the world. Time magazine recently reported that at least 64 countries, comprising 49 percent of the world’s population, would vote in national elections this year. From elections already held, Venezuela’s presidential poll has stood out as an example of the dangerously addictive nature of political power where an incumbent ruthlessly clings on in the face of defeat.

Venezuela’s presidential election, which was held on 28 July, featured two candidates – the incumbent Nicolás Maduro and opposition contender Edmundo Gonzáles Urrutia.

In June last year, Venezuela’s Comptroller General Elvis Amoroso banned popular Opposition Leader María Corina Machado from holding public office for 15 years.

A statement at the time from the US State Department noted that “Venezuelans deserve the right to select a candidate” to participate in the presidential election in 2024 “without interference.” However, the decision remained unchanged and the opposition was compelled to field former diplomat Gonzáles.

The Venezuelan election was contentious with international elections monitors noting it was neither free nor fair, and claiming the Maduro administration repressed all opposition during and after the poll.

Venezuelan NGO Transparencia Electoral complained that the electoral process was plagued by irregularities from the beginning – including the prevention of expatriates from voting. Campaigning opposition members were arrested; and on election day, voters in different areas found polling stations arbitrarily moved, sometimes to nearby states.

The day after the election, the government controlled National Electoral Council announced Maduro’s victory.

Professor of Political Science at Amherst College in Massachusetts Dr. Javier Corrales asserted: “Everybody knew that Maduro’s last resort might be to refuse to recognise the results and claim some fake numbers. So the opposition designed a system to ensure that they could have proof of how the voting went.”

Thousands of volunteers gathered 80 percent of voting tallies from polling stations, which showed a clear victory for González with 67 percent of the votes over Maduro’s 30 percent. And multiple analyses by the opposition, academics and media organisations provided strong evidence that González secured a landslide victory against Maduro.

The continued insistence by Venezuelan authorities that Maduro won the election – without providing any proof – sparked massive protests on
the streets across the country, leading to the arrest of thousands of protesters. And the international community watched in utter consternation.

A statement by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Vice President of the Commission for a Stronger Europe in the World, Josep Borrell Fontelles called on the administration to “put an end to arbitrary detentions, repression and violent rhetoric against members of the opposition and civil society, and to release all political prisoners.”

Nigerian pastor Sunday Adelaja observed: “Individuals with greed for power see others as elements to be oppressed.”

On 2 August, the US govern­ment recognised González’s victory and negated the elections authority’s declaration of Maduro as the victor.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted: “Given the overwhelming evidence, it is clear to the United States and, most importantly, to the Venezuelan people, that Edmundo González Urrutia won the most votes in Venezuela’s presidential election.”

Several countries recognised González’s victory. Even left-wing governments such as Brazil, Colombia and Mexico that once supported Maduro began asking for proof that he won, which he promised but never provided.

Quelling all opposition as it arose, Maduro clung to the presidency and rejected all offers of safe passage after relinquishing power. One expert described this as “the largest electoral fraud in Latin America’s history.”

Maduro has been accused of trying to steal the presidential election in the past too. The United States described his claim that he won the re-election in 2018 as an “insult to democracy.” But evidence of the allegations was not as clear and overpowering as that in July this year.

In spite of possessing the world’s most extensive crude oil reserves and once being the richest country in Latin America, Venezuela began
an unending economic free fall after Maduro assumed power in 2013, following the death of his mentor Hugo Chávez.

Plunging oil prices and increasing shortages of food and amenities resulted in skyrocketing hyperinflation of over 130,000 percent.

The resulting humanitarian crisis led to a third of the country’s population fleeing to other parts of the world in search of an economically stable future. And Maduro’s continued reign is expected to escalate migration even further.

On the international front, Chair of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator Ben Cardin collaborated with his European counterparts to pressure Maduro’s administration to hold him accountable if he continued to rule against the will of the people.

The world watched with bated breath and wondered if Maduro would realise sooner than later that it is time to go. As a quotation attributed to former US president Abraham Lincoln claims, “nearly all men can stand adversity; but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”