HAVANA TIMES – The Venezuelan opposition leader, María Corina Machado, stated on July 29, 2024, at a press conference that she holds 73.20% of the voting tally sheets delivered at polling places to the opposition poll watchers as proof of Edmundo González’s electoral victory over President Nicolás Maduro. (By midday on July 30, she reported that they had gathered more than 84%).
Machado claimed that the opposition candidate’s triumph was backed by 6.27 million votes, while Maduro only obtained 2.75 million (on the first 73.20% of the records). In María Corina Machado’s words, although the figures correspond to less than the total number of precinct results, they are sufficient to demonstrate the victory of the former diplomat.
The former deputy of the National Assembly of Venezuela also announced the existence of a portal that lists the records held by the opposition. Through the digital tool, citizens can verify the results of each voting table.
Machado’s statements come amid growing street protests, where demonstrators have torn down statues of Hugo Chávez. Meanwhile, Caracas woke up on July 30, 2024, with partially paralyzed transportation services and reports of increased state repression and violence.
As of the writing of this note, at least two people have lost their lives as a result of military repression, according to El País newspaper; although other sources place the number between seven and 11 deaths. The Penal Forum confirmed in a press conference that there are 11 decease