Blinken says that election results in Venezuela do not reflect will of Venezuelan people
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (photo: Getty Images)
The US is seriously concerned about the results of the disputed presidential election in Venezuela, where, according to authorities, incumbent President Nicolás Maduro emerged victorious, states US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Speaking in Tokyo on Monday, July 29, Blinken expressed US concerns that the results do not reflect the will or the votes of the Venezuelan people. He urged election organizers to release the full results immediately and stated that the U.S. and the international community would respond accordingly.
"We have seen the announcement just a short while ago by the Venezuelan Electoral Commission. We have serious concerns that the result announced does not reflect the will or the votes of the Venezuelan people," Blinken said.
He emphasized the critical importance of counting every vote honestly and transparently, ensuring that electoral bodies promptly share information with the opposition and independent observers and that they publish the election results.
"The international community is watching this very closely and will respond accordingly," he added.
Presidential election in Venezuela
The presidential elections in Venezuela took place on Sunday, July 28. However, the announcement of the results was delayed for several hours, and the National Electoral Council, which is controlled by Maduro's supporters, claimed that Maduro secured a majority without releasing the voting results from the polling stations.
Meanwhile, thousands of people took to the streets to protest against the presidential election results in Caracas and other Venezuelan cities. According to reports, the protests in the capital were mostly peaceful, but when dozens of national police officers in protective gear blocked the caravan, clashes began. The police used tear gas to disperse the protesters, some of whom threw stones and other objects at the officers stationed on the main street of an upscale neighborhood.
