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News > Latin America

'The Proof is Here': Venezuela's Maduro Debunks Election Fraud Claims

  • A woman walks past a mural depicting former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and incumbent President Nicolas Maduro.

    A woman walks past a mural depicting former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and incumbent President Nicolas Maduro. | Photo: Reuters

Published 17 October 2017
Opinion

"That’s democracy: you win and you lose," Maduro said during a press conference with international media.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has addressed claims of alleged election fraud during Sunday's regional elections, reaffirming his country's electoral transparency.

IN PICTURES:
Venezuelans Celebrate Democracy and Sovereignty in Regional Vote

He announced that all data pertaining to the elections will become available by the end of the day, amid claims of a lack of transparency by the right-wing opposition and the United States.

The Venezuelan president also said that the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela, PSUV, won 18 of 23 governorships during elections on Sunday. 

Maduro said the PSUV had obtained 64 percent of the national vote, an almost one-million-vote difference from the opposition, winning 18 seats. The opposition won five governorships.

"That’s democracy: you win and you lose," Maduro said during a press conference with international media. "And when we lose, we recognize it. And when we win, we govern with the people."

Maduro criticized claims made by the opposition that there was fraud.

"In the elections in 2015, we did not cry fraud. We accepted the results and I assumed the responsibility of the defeat," Maduro said.

"The opposition never acknowledges when we win an election. Only when they win," Maduro said. "They won Tachira with a huge difference, we acknowledge that."

 

Maduro added that the Venezuelan electoral process is the most audited and secure in the world, reminding the public that it includes national and international observers. 

"Don’t lie to the world, the proof is here," Maduro said, referring to voting documents. "Certificates with the signatures of international observers are here, whoever wants to come and see it, you are welcome."

Maduro said his government will continue dialogue with the opposition, which he said continues to create excuses and cancels talks while calling for violent protests.

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He added that the international community should understand that the people of Venezuela "have sent a message to the imperialists and the right-wing powers" that they want peace in the country.

“We had a great victory. A moral and spiritual victory. Because we won in the worst circumstances in Venezuela, with assaults to the gas system, the electricity system and other attacks,” Maduro said.

The Venezuelan leader said the new governors will be sworn in with the company of the National Constituent Assembly. He also said that the next elections decide new mayors and that he is certain his party will win a majority. 

"Venezuela has lived a complete transformation. There will not be an economic war to destroy Venezuela," Maduro said. "We worked to win for love of the people, to renew hope. We are not going to ignore the problems."

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