Venezuela Accuses Opposition Leader of Election Sabotage Amid Disputed Presidential Vote
Venezuela has identified opposition leader María Corina Machado as a central figure in its investigation of alleged electoral sabotage during Sunday’s presidential election, further escalating tensions. Public Prosecutor Tarek William Saab accused Machado of participating in a scheme to manipulate voting results transmitted from polling places to the election authority headquarters. This comes as President Nicolás Maduro, whose victory claim has faced international skepticism, attributed delays in polling totals to a cyberattack.
While Saab did not issue an arrest warrant for Machado or specify charges, the allegations are likely to draw more international criticism toward Maduro’s government. The U.S. and several Latin American countries have already called for a thorough accounting of the vote. Protests erupted in parts of Caracas following Saab’s announcement, with demonstrators blocking major highways and clashing with national guardsmen.
Machado, who was barred from running and supported opposition candidate Edmundo González, last appeared in public early Monday. The disputed results announced by the electoral authority, controlled by Maduro’s allies, showed Maduro winning with 51.2% of the vote against González’s 44.2%. The opposition claims González actually secured 70%.
Regional countries and the U.S. have demanded proof of Maduro’s victory. The Carter Center, an election observer, has called for the immediate release of detailed voting data. The Biden administration indicated future sanctions on Venezuela hinge on the release of this data.
Despite Maduro’s efforts to stabilize the economy, he oversees a nation struggling through significant humanitarian and economic crises, prompting a mass exodus. Machado and González aimed to dismantle economic controls, privatize the oil industry, and reunite families separated by diaspora—a movement unlike any since Hugo Chávez.
The cyberattack allegedly originated from North Macedonia and involved exiled opposition leaders Leopoldo López and Lester Toledo. Both have not yet commented on the accusations.
Original Story https://www.livemint.com/news/venezuela-accuses-maduro-rival-of-sabotage-triggering-protests-11722275369961.html
Category :
Tags:
