[KARAH RUCKER]

IT’S BEEN ONE MONTH SINCE THE CHAOTIC PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN VENEZUELA UNFOLDED.

THERE’S BEEN INTERNATIONAL OUTCRY THAT THE ELECTION WAS RIGGED –

WITH EVEN THE U.S. SAYING THE INCUMBENT AUTHORITARIAN PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO DID NOT WIN THE ELECTION DESPITE HIS CLAIM TO VICTORY.

IN THE MONTH SINCE THE CONTENTIOUS VOTE  –

THERE’S BEEN NO TRANSPARENCY OVER VOTER ROLLS OR TALLIES AND THE DISPUTED RESULTS HAVEN’T CHANGED.

WHAT HAS CHANGED – IS THE CHAOS NOW UNFOLDING ON VENEZUELA’S STREETS.

THE CONTROVERSY OVER THE ELECTION RESULTS HAS SPARKED WIDESPREAD PROTESTS AND VIOLENCE THAT HAS TURNED DEADLY –

WITH AT LEAST 24 CIVILIANS AND ONE SOLDIER KILLED.

MADURO HAS RAMPED UP A BRUTAL CRACKDOWN ON DISSENT. 

THE SOCIALIST REGIME – ACCUSED OF OUTRIGHT ELECTION THEFT –

HAS UTILIZED DOOR-TO-DOOR RAIDS AND MASS ARRESTS TO QUASH OPPOSITION. THE GOVERNMENT’S HEAVY-HANDED RESPONSE INCLUDES ARRESTING AROUND 2,000 PEOPLE, INCLUDING MORE THAN 100 CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS 13 – ACCORDING TO HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS.

ALL OF THE CHILDREN – HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYERS SAY HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH TERRORISM.

THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN ARRESTED HAS OUTPACED FIGURES RECORDED DURING EVEN THE REGION’S MOST NOTORIOUS CAMPAIGNS OF REPRESSION.

THE AMERICAS DIRECTOR FOR “HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH” SAYS

“Security forces are detaining people at a speed we had not seen in Venezuela’s recent history, even during the brutal repression in 2014 and 2017. This is not just a clampdown on demonstrators. It’s a full witch hunt against anyone who dares criticize the government.”

THE OPPOSITION TO MADURO SAYS IT’S CANDIDATE – EDMUNDO GONZÁLEZ –

WON BY A MORE THAN TWO TO ONE MARGIN, BASED ON DATA FROM 80% OF POLLING MACHINES. 

MADURO’S GOVERNMENT HAS DOUBLED DOWN – SAYING HE WON BY MORE THAN A MILLION VOTES – AND VENEZUELA’S SUPREME COURT CERTIFIED THE RESULTS IN MADURO’S FAVOR.

AND WHILE THE U.S. AND OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN ASKING VENEZUELA FOR PROOF –

NOW – ONE OF VENEZUELA’S TOP ELECTION OFFICIALS IS QUESTIONING THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY.

JUAN CARLOS DELPINO – A MEMBER OF THE 5-PERSON NATIONAL ELECTORAL COUNCIL THAT IS IN CHARGE OF ANNOUNCING RESULTS  – 

SAYS HE HAS SEEN “NO EVIDENCE” MADURO WON THE ELECTION.

SPEAKING TO THE NEW YORK TIMES FROM HIDING OUT OF FEAR OF GOVERNMENT BACKLASH – THE OFFICIAL SAYS HE IS “ASHAMED” THAT THE COUNTRY’S ELECTION BODY “FAILED THE COUNTRY.”

AS POLITICAL UNREST DEEPENS IN AN ALREADY TUMULTUOUS COUNTRY THAT HAS MASS FAMINE AND HAS SEEN A MASS EXODUS FOR YEARS –

VENEZUELANS FLEEING THE COUNTRY IS EXPECTED TO RAMP UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ACCORDING TO A VENEZUELA POLLING FIRM –

APPROXIMATELY 600,000 VENEZUELANS ARE CONSIDERING FLEEING THE COUNTRY BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER, WITH NEARLY 930,000 MORE PLANNING TO LEAVE BY YEAR’S END.

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