Edmundo González demands that Maduro accept “what was expressed” in the presidential elections in Venezuela

Edmundo González urged Nicolás Maduro on Saturday to put an end to the violence that has arisen from security agents following the July 28 elections, in which the socialist leader supposedly obtained the official victory.

The Venezuelan opposition leader also called on Maduro to accept defeat, according to both the Democratic Unitary Platform and several international observers.

In a video posted on social media X, González Urrutia called for calm:

“I call on you on behalf of all Venezuelans to stop the violence and persecution and to immediately release all compatriots arbitrarily detained.”

This statement refers to the more than 2,400 arrests reported during the protests following the elections, Efe reports.

The opposition candidate condemned the acts of repression:

“Enough of persecution and violence, enough of trying to spread terror, enough of disrespecting the will of Venezuelans for change. Accept what our people have expressed and let us all begin to get our country out of this crisis.”

He also said that his victory in the elections was clear and asserted that demanding compliance with the Constitution and peaceful protest should not be considered a crime.

“It is a crime not to accept the will of our people, it is a crime to disappear, persecute, imprison and unjustly condemn hundreds of innocent citizens, it is a crime to savagely repress peaceful protesters,” he declared.

González Urrutia’s complaint came after the Democratic Unitary Platform warned of an increase in repression. On the same social network, it indicated that “repression and political persecution have reached inhuman and critical levels.”

The coalition added that “dozens of teenagers, hundreds of women and men have been kidnapped for expressing their desire for change and a better future.”

The NGO Foro Penal, which is responsible for defending those considered political prisoners, reported a total of 1,303 arrests as of Saturday, including 170 women, 116 teenagers, 14 indigenous people and 16 people with disabilities.

The post-election protests resulted in the deaths of 24 civilians, two military personnel and the injuries of around 100 security agents, according to the NGO Provea.

The National Electoral Council, which claimed to have suffered a cyber attack during the elections, has yet to release disaggregated results confirming Maduro’s victory. This delay has raised questions from several countries and organizations, including the Carter Center, which participated as an observer in the elections.

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