GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC—The government of Guyana has called for a transparent process of verifying the will of the Venezuelan people in the aftermath of Sunday’s general election.
Guyana stated on Tuesday that protests rocked the neighboring country after the election board declared on Monday that President Nicolas Maduro had won a third term with 51% of votes to extend the “Chavista” movement’s quarter-century rule.
‘Elections are about people exercising their constitutional right to elect a government of their choice in a free, fair, and transparent process. It behooves all to ensure the integrity of that process through the highest standards of accountability, transparency, and strict adherence to the rule of law, including the rules governing elections, to guarantee respect for the will of the people,” said the statement from the government led by President Dr. Irfaan Ali.
“The people of Venezuela deserve nothing less,” the statement added.
In Venezuela, the opposition, which considers the election body to be in the “pocket of a dictatorial government,” says the 80% of vote tallies to which it has access shows its candidate Edmundo Gonzalez had more than twice as many votes as Maduro.
The renewed instability has prompted international reaction, including from the United States, which says it is considering fresh sanctions on individuals linked to the election unless there is greater transparency about the vote, while China and Russia congratulated Maduro.
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