CARACAS (AFP) – Venezuela’s opposition called on Sunday for worldwide protests on August 17 to show support for its claimed victory in last month’s election over President Nicolas Maduro, who was declared the winner.
“This Saturday, August 17, we will take to the streets of Venezuela and the world… let’s shout together so that the world supports our victory and recognises the truth and popular sovereignty,” said opposition leader Maria Corina Machado in a video on social media.
Opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who replaced Machado on the ballot after she was banned from running, said separately: “We won, Venezuela won… see you on the 17th.”
Both leaders have been in hiding for over a week, with Machado saying recently that she feared for her life, as several other members of the Venezuelan opposition have been reportedly whisked away with no warning.
Electoral authorities declared Maduro the winner of the July 28 vote with 52 per cent, but have yet to release a detailed breakdown of the results.
The opposition, in contrast, published a large set of data – the legitimacy of which has been denied by Maduro but backed by the United States and several Latin American countries.
Those results show Gonzalez Urrutia receiving 67 per cent of the vote.
“This message is for you, who do not recognise yourself in today’s Venezuela, who are tired of having your family separated, who voted and want what you decided on July 28 to be respected,” Machado said on X.
