The person extensively believed to be the true victor of final yr’s presidential election in Venezuela has accused Nicolás Maduro of staging a coup and “crowning himself dictator” after the South American autocrat claimed one other six years in energy.
Maduro, a former union chief who has ruled since 2013, in more and more authoritarian style, was sworn in for a 3rd time period on Friday, regardless of claims that he stole the election from the precise winner, the retired diplomat Edmundo González.
The governments of Argentina, Canada, the US and Peru are amongst these to have recognised González as Venezuela’s rightful president-elect, whereas the EU, UK, Brazil and Colombia have refused to recognise Maduro’s declare to victory.
González, who was pressured into exile throughout a wave of presidency repression that adopted the 28 July vote, criticised Maduro’s energy seize in a video message to supporters on Friday evening.
“Maduro has violated the structure and the sovereign will of the Venezuelans … He has executed a coup d’etat and topped himself dictator. The folks aren’t with him and no authorities thought of democratic is with him – solely the dictators of Cuba, [the Democratic Republic of the] Congo and Nicaragua,” stated González, a 75-year-old retired diplomat.
González has revealed detailed voting tallies that supply convincing proof he received final yr’s election by a large margin, whereas Maduro has supplied no proof of his supposed victory. However Venezuela’s army and safety forces have stood by their more and more remoted commander-in-chief regardless of opposition requires them to change sides.
At a televised ceremony on Friday attended by 1000’s of “anti-imperialist combatants”, the leaders of the armed forces and police declared their fealty to Maduro. “We’re immortal. We’re invincible. We’re indestructible,” Maduro proclaimed.
In his deal with, González stated Maduro’s “cowardly and unscrupulous” regime, which is extensively blamed for crashing Venezuela’s economic system and inflicting one of many largest migration crises in Latin America’s fashionable historical past, was getting into its dying days.
“Quickly, very quickly, it doesn’t matter what they do, we are going to return to Venezuela and put an finish to this tragedy … I promise that we are going to not fail you,” González stated, claiming the opposition was “coordinating with all the indispensable actors to make sure the swift return of freedom”.
González, who visited the Dominican Republic and Panama on the eve of Maduro’s inauguration, didn’t disclose his location however stated he was “very near Venezuela” and would return dwelling “on the proper time”.
“Freedom at all times defeats tyranny,” he stated.
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