US has 'serious concerns' about Venezuela election as Maduro claims victory

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. has “serious concerns” over the veracity of presidential election results in Venezuela on Sunday, after President Nicolás Maduro was declared the winner by the country’s elections council.

Maduro claimed victory early Monday in an election he was projected to lose, while challenger Edmundo González said he, in fact, won more votes, setting up a conflict over the election results.

“We have serious concerns that the result announced does not reflect the will or the votes of the Venezuelan people,” Blinken said in remarks from Tokyo early Monday. “It’s critical that every vote be counted fairly and transparently, that election officials immediately share information with the opposition and independent observers without delay, and that the electoral authorities publish the detailed tabulation of votes.”

“The international community is watching this very closely and will respond accordingly,” he added.

The Venezuelan election council said Maduro won 51 percent of the vote, despite multiple exit polls pointing toward a victory for González and the opposition.

Maduro’s ruling party bused voters into polling places, opened some late and held others open in efforts to manipulate the vote, The Associated Press reported. Street checkpoints limited travel and were used to intimidate those considering voting against Maduro in some areas of the country.

González said the results were clearly manipulated, in his first remarks after Maduro claimed victory.

“Venezuelans and the entire world know what happened,” González said.

Maduro accused unidentified foreign enemies of trying to hack the voting system.

“This is not the first time that they have tried to violate the peace of the republic,” he said to supporters at the presidential palace, promising “justice.”

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) denounced the election as “the most predictable and ridiculous sham election in modern history” shortly after Maduro was announced the victor.

Multiple foreign leaders have also denounced the election results. Chilean President Gabriel Boric said the results were “hard to believe,” while Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves flat-out rejected Maduro’s claimed victory.

“We will work with the democratic countries across the continent and international organizations to achieve the respect the Venezuelan people deserve,” Chaves said.

If Maduro’s reelection is upheld, it would likely only worsen the exodus of Venezuelans from the country attempting to escape his regime. About 7.7 million have already left the country for opportunities abroad during Maduro’s first two six-year terms.