Venezuela opposition’s Machado emerges to lead election marches

By Mircely Guanipa and Vivian Sequera

CARACAS (Reuters) – The Organization of American States on Saturday urged peace in Venezuela ahead of separate marches to support the government and the country’s political opposition amid spiraling tensions connected to contested election results.

Venezuela’s electoral authority, seen by critics as favoring the ruling socialists, proclaimed Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro the winner in last Sunday’s vote, saying on Monday that he obtained 51% compared to 46% for opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez. The authority reaffirmed a similar margin on Friday.

Marches are planned in capital Caracas and elsewhere, some in support of Maduro’s Socialist government and others backing the opposition.

“May every Venezuelan man, woman, who speaks out in the street today find only an echo of peace, a peace that reflects the spirit of democratic coexistence,” the OAS said in a statement shared via X.

The election result published by the authority sparked widespread allegations of fraud and protests, which subsequently led to a crackdown by security forces after Maduro’s government labeled the demonstrations part of an attempted coup pushed by the U.S.

Hundreds of opposition supporters walked through Caracas on Saturday morning ahead of the protests.

“Today I feel a little discouraged but I decided to come because I want to continue expressing my voice,” said opposition supporter and civil engineer Yannet Garcia, 62. “We have opted for change, we have not given up.”

So far, at least 20 people have been killed in post-election protests, according to rights group Human Rights Watch. Some 1,200 others have been arrested in connection with the demonstrations, according to the government.

Amid uncertainty, some Venezuelans have appeared outside police stations seeking news of their detained family members.

Some nations, including the United States and Argentina, have already recognized Gonzalez as the election’s winner, with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday citing “overwhelming evidence.” Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama and Uruguay also concluded on Friday that Gonzalez received the most votes.

Others, including Russia, China and Cuba, have congratulated Maduro.

The OAS – which this week called the election results unreliable -urged respect for human rights and an end to violence in the country.

“Today we urge that there not be one more political prisoner, nor one more tortured person, nor one more disappeared person, nor one more murdered person,” the OAS said. “Venezuela does not deserve that.”