Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is set to be sworn in on Friday, Jan. 10, for his third presidential term. Opposition leaders are urging their supporters to demonstrate against his administration, claiming he overwhelmingly lost the election last July.
Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who is in hiding, spoke with The Wall Street Journal. She called on people to join her on the streets of Venezuela and around the world on Thursday, Jan. 9, in protest.
Machado is an ally of opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez. He ran against Maduro in July. Tally sheets from electronic voting machines posted by the opposition indicate Gonzalez won the election with twice as many votes as Maduro. The American-based Carter Center observed the election and has said the tally sheets are legitimate.
However, Venezuela’s National Electoral Council, loyal to Maduro, declared Maduro the winner just hours after the polls closed but didn’t provide any vote counts. Venezuelan troops then quashed protests. Opposition leader Gonzalez fled to Spain and Machado went into hiding.
Gonzalez has now left Spain and earlier this week went to Washington, D.C., where the Journal reports he met with President Joe Biden.
He thanked the Biden administration for its support in the struggle for a democratic recovery in Venezuela. The country is currently in the midst of food shortages, high inflation, low wages and a poor education system.
The U.S. has said it recognizes Gonzalez as the rightful president-elect. The Venezuelan defense minister rejected that notion and said this week the National Armed Forces of Venezuela would recognize Maduro as president.
Another government official said Gonzalez will be arrested if he returns to the country, which sets up possible additional clashes as early as Thursday, Jan. 9.
