Can Maduro Pull off the Mother of All Electoral Frauds?

Overview:

This article was written by Ryan C. Berg and Christopher Hernandez-Roy at Center for Strategic and International Studies.

• It outlines the events leading up to, during, and following the contested Venezuelan election, marking a severe electoral fraud by President Nicolás Maduro.
• The opposition's preparations and international response are critical to understanding the larger implications on regional stability and democratic integrity.

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Key Quotes:

• Opposition leader María Corina Machado stated, "There are only two outcomes: a landslide victory or an obscene fraud."
• President Nicolás Maduro had asserted his determination to win "by hook or by crook," foreshadowing the electoral manipulations.

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What They Discuss:

• The Venezuelan regime failed to meet any conditions for free and fair elections, as agreed in the Barbados agreement.
• The opposition's candidate Edmundo González Urrutia was shown to lead by a significant margin, according to multiple polls, contradicting the CNE's official results.
• The regime conducted widespread repression, detaining opposition members and obstructing their campaigns.
• The National Electoral Council limited voter participation, especially among the diaspora of 5 million eligible citizens.
• International actors, including Colombia and Brazil, have withheld recognition of the election results, emphasizing the necessity for transparency.

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What They Recommend:

• The opposition needs to maintain large and impactful protests to draw international attention and support.
• Leveraging findings from credible organizations like the Carter Center and the OAS is crucial to discrediting the fraudulent election.
• Civil society organizations should continue to document and share evidence of electoral abuses.
• Acquiring and publicizing unaltered vote tabulation sheets is essential to proving electoral fraud.

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Key Takeaways:

• The Venezuelan election was marred by severe irregularities and fraud, undermining democratic principles.
• The Maduro regime has engaged in significant repression to maintain power, posing risks to stability.
• International recognition of the election results is divided, with key countries yet to endorse Maduro's victory.
• The opposition's strategy focuses on continuing protests, leveraging international support, and substantiating their claims of fraud through evidence.

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This is a brief overview of the article by Ryan C. Berg and Christopher Hernandez-Roy at Center for Strategic and International Studies. For complete insights, we recommend reading the full article.