Venezuelan Crisis

Maduro opponents rally to revive protests over disputed Venezuelan election

Opponents of Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro took to the streets Wednesday in an attempt to revive protests against him as he tightens his grip on power following last month's disputed election. The demonstration in the capital, Caracas, comes exactly a month after the fraught July 28 vote in which Maduro was declared the winner despite strong evidence that opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzlez won by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, which drew international condemnation that the vote lacked transparency. In weeks of on-again, off-again demonstrations, the opposition's rallying cry has been constant but so far ineffective. Opponents have demanded that officials publish results from each polling station that they say would expose Maduro's attempts to steal the election. Voting records kill sentence, is how the opposition billed the latest protest, referring to the thousands of tally sheets it collected and posted online that contradict a recent sentence written by the loyalist Supreme Court

Nicolas Maduro accuses Venezuela opposition of planning armed attack

The US has said it's clear the opposition won the most votes, a position shared by several countries

Venezuela election dispute traps travellers trying to leave country

The lack of options is stranding Venezuelans who live abroad but returned to vote in the July 28 election

US recognises oppn candidate Gonzlez as winner of Venezuela's prez poll

The US government has recognised Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzlez as the winner of the South American country's presidential election, discrediting the results announced by electoral authorities who declared President Nicols Maduro the victor. Given the overwhelming evidence, it is clear to the United States and, most importantly, to the Venezuelan people that Edmundo Gonzlez Urrutia won the most votes in Venezuela's July 28 presidential election, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Thursday. The National Electoral Council declared Maduro the winner of Sunday's highly anticipated election, but the president's main challenger, Gonzlez, and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado have said they obtained more than two-thirds of the tally sheets that each electronic voting machine printed after polls closed. They said the release of the data on those tallies would prove Maduro lost. The announcement from the US government came amid diplomatic effor

Have proof candidate defeated Maduro in disputed election: Venezuela oppn

As thousands of people demonstrated across Venezuela, opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez on Monday announced that his campaign has the proof it needs to show he won the country's disputed election whose victory electoral authorities handed to President Nicolas Maduro. Gonzalez and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado told reporters they have obtained more than 70 per cent of tally sheets from Sunday's election, and they show Gonzalez with more than double Maduro's votes. Both called on people, some of whom protested in the hours after Maduro was declared winner, to remain calm and invited them to gather peacefully at 11 am Tuesday to celebrate the results. I speak to you with the calmness of the truth, Gonzalez said as dozens of supporters cheered outside campaign headquarters in the capital, Caracas. We have in our hands the tally sheets that demonstrate our categorical and mathematically irreversible victory. Their announcement came after the National Electoral Council, whic

Musk calls Maduro a 'dictator' in latest blow-up against foreign leader

Add Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to the growing list of foreign leaders with whom tech billionaire Elon Musk has picked a fight. Following the results of Venezuela's presidential election, in which Maduro and his opponents each claimed victory, the owner of X took to the social media platform to accuse the self-proclaimed socialist leader of major election fraud. Shame on Dictator Maduro, Musk said Monday. Maduro in turn trashed Musk as the archenemy of Venezuela's peace. Officials delayed the release of detailed vote tallies from Sunday's election after proclaiming Maduro the winner with 51 per cent of the vote, compared with 44 per cent for retired diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez. The competing claims set up a high-stakes standoff. After failing to oust Maduro during three rounds of demonstrations since 2014, the opposition put its faith in the ballot box. The elections were among the most peaceful in recent memory, reflecting hopes that Venezuela could avoid bloodshed and end

Why Venezuela's prez elections should matter to the rest of the world

The future of Venezuela is on the line. Voters will decide Sunday whether to reelect President Nicolas Maduro, whose 11 years in office have been beset by crisis, or allow the opposition a chance to deliver on a promise to undo the ruling party's policies that caused economic collapse and forced millions to emigrate. Historically fractured opposition parties have coalesced behind a single candidate, giving the United Socialist Party of Venezuela its most serious electoral challenge in a presidential election in decades. Maduro is being challenged by former diplomat Edmundo Gonzlez Urrutia, who represents the resurgent opposition, and eight other candidates. Supporters of Maduro and Gonzalez marked the end of the official campaign season Thursday with massive demonstrations in the capital, Caracas. Here are some reasons why the election matters to the world: Migration impact. The election will impact migration flows regardless of the winner. The instability in Venezuela for the pas

Irrespective of who wins election, Venezuela faces natural gas problem

The South American country's output fell to 4 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) this year from almost 8 bcfd in 2016, data from consultancy Gas Energy Latin America shows

Maduro seeks Venezuela military's support ahead of consequential vote

At a crossroads not far from a gas station overgrown with weeds, young men and women in faded green fatigues stop vehicles returning from a rally for opponents of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, ask passengers for their identifications, and inspect their cars, trucks and motorcycles. Such checkpoints have proliferated across the country's vast tropical plains, forested highlands and beach fronts in the run-up to Sunday's presidential election, aiming to intimidate and occasionally detain government critics. They often involve a request for a ride, bananas or collaboration Venezuela's euphemism for a small bribe. But the power play frequently falls flat. When their superiors slip away from the scorching sun, the grunts betray their displeasure with Maduro and openness to a new commander in chief. Did the lady arrive? Were there a lot people? one giddy soldier asks about opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. We wanted to watch, but there is no Wi-Fi here, whispers another. S

US reimposes oil sanctions on Venezuela amid no fair presidential polls

The Biden administration on Wednesday reimposed crushing oil sanctions on Venezuela, admonishing President Nicols Maduro's attempts to consolidate his rule just six months after the U.S. eased restrictions in a bid to support now fading hopes for a democratic opening in the OPEC nation. A senior U.S. official, discussing the decision with reporters, said any U.S. company investing in Venezuela would have 45 days to wind down operations to avoid adding uncertainty to global energy markets. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss U.S. policy deliberations. In October, the U.S. granted Maduro's government relief from sanctions on its state-run oil, gas and mining sectors after it agreed to work with members of the opposition to hold a free and competitive presidential election this year. While Maduro went on to schedule an election for July and invite international observers to monitor voting, his inner circle has used the ruling party's total control over Venezuela

Venezuela electoral outcry: Oppn coalition registers provisional candidate

Venezuela's main opposition coalition said Tuesday afternoon that the country's government allowed them to register a provisional candidate for the upcoming presidential election, amid a wave of criticisms after opposition leaders said they were blocked from registering their candidate of choice the night before. The coalition, the Unitary Democratic Platform, said they temporarily enlisted former diplomat Edmundo Gonzlez Urrutia as their candidate as a way to "preserve the exercise of the political rights that correspond to our political organisation" until they are able to register another candidate. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the coalition said it was not allowed to access the registration system, but was later granted an extension. It is the latest in a chaotic electoral process surrounding Venezuela's July 28 election as the government of President Nicols Maduro has cracked down on the opposition despite promises to pave the way to democratic elections in exchange for ...

Venezuela's main oppn coalition unable to register presidential candidate

The main Venezuelan opposition coalition said early Tuesday that electoral authorities didn't let it register its presidential candidate as the deadline ended, in what it called the latest violation to the citizens' right to vote for change in the South American country. The candidate, Corina Yoris, could not be registered by midnight Monday, which was the time limit for registering for the election set for July 28, said Omar Barboza, representative of the US-backed Unitary Platform coalition. On a video posted on the Unitary Platform X account, Barboza said this was a violation of the right of the majority of Venezuelans who want to vote for change, and he demanded the registry be reopened. Yoris, an 80-year-old unknown newcomer, was named Friday the substitute to opposition leader Mara Corina Machado, who faces a government ban on her running for office. Hours before the opposition coalition couldn't register Yoris, President Nicols Maduro got the support of thousands as he made

Maduro begins re-election run while rival struggles to register candidacy

It's a tale of two dramatically different political campaigns. On Monday, throngs of supporters of President Nicols Maduro rallied at a giant stage draped in the red, yellow and blue colors of Venezuela's flag outside the electoral council headquarters where he is expected to make official his candidacy for a third term. Meanwhile, his would-be rivals tried to register their candidate, an 80-year-old unknown newcomer, before a midnight deadline but found they were unable to do so in what the opposition denounced as the latest attack on Venezuela's democracy. Polls show that Venezuelans would trounce the unpopular Maduro by a landslide if given half a chance. But the self-proclaimed socialist leader has so far managed to block his chief opponents from running while alternately negotiating and then reneging on minimal electoral guarantees promised to the U.S. government in exchange for relief from oil sanctions In a creative attempt to force Maduro's authoritarian hand, two smaller .

US pulls some of Venezuela's sanctions relief as court blocks oppn leader

The US government on Monday pulled back part of the sanctions relief it granted Venezuela last year, following through on its threat after the South American country's highest court blocked the presidential candidacy of an opposition leader. The Department of the Treasury gave companies transacting with Venezuela's state-owned mining company until February 13 to wind down operations. The department had allowed transactions with the mining company in October after the government of President Nicols Maduro reached an agreement with the US-backed opposition faction to work toward levelling the playing field ahead of the presidential election. On Friday, however, the prospect of a free presidential election was dealt a heavy blow when the country's highest court upheld a ban on the candidacy of Mara Corina Machado, a longtime government foe and winner of the primary held by the opposition. Machado, a former lawmaker, won the opposition's independently run presidential primary with more

US sees drop in illegal border crossings after Mexico increases enforcement

Daniel Bermudez's family had fled Venezuela and was headed to the US to seek asylum when the freight train they were riding through Mexico was stopped by immigration officials. His wife tried to explain that her family had permission to go to the US Instead, they flew her to Mexico's southern border as part of a surge of enforcement actions that US officials say have contributed to a sharp drop in illegal border crossings. In addition to forcing migrants from trains, Mexico also resumed flying and busing them to the southern part of the country and started flying some home to Venezuela. Even if temporary, the decrease in illegal crossings is welcome news for the White House. President Joe Biden's administration is locked in talks with Senate negotiators over restricting asylum and USD 110 billion in aid for Ukraine and Israel hangs in the balance. Bermudez said his wife became separated from her family when she talked to authorities as he gathered his stepchild and their belongings

LIVE: Hiranandani confesses helping LS MP Moitra in attacking Adani group

Catch all the latest updates from around the world here

US eases oil, gas, sanctions on Venezuela after electoral roadmap signed

In response to Venezuela's government and a faction of its opposition formally agreeing to work together to reach a series of basic conditions for the next presidential election, the US agreed Wednesday to temporarily suspend some sanctions on the country's oil, gas and gold sectors. Tuesday's agreement between President Nicols Maduro's administration and the Unitary Platform came just days before the opposition holds a primary to pick its candidate for the 2024 presidential election. The US Treasury issued a six-month general license that would temporarily authorise transactions involving Venezuela's oil and gas sector, another that authorizes dealings with Minerven the state-owned gold mining company and it removed the secondary trading ban on certain Venezuelan sovereign bonds. The ban on trading in the primary Venezuelan bond market remains in place, Treasury says. Brian E. Nelson, Treasury's under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said the US welcomes the .

Colombia hosts diplomats from 20 countries on Venezuela's political crisis

Diplomats from 20 countries gathered Tuesday in Colombia to discuss the political crisis in Venezuela, where Nicols Maduro's socialist administration has strengthened its autocratic rule despite international efforts to expand political freedoms in the South American nation. The conference was hosted by Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who has called for sanctions on Venezuela's government to be lifted, but also for policies that ensure more democracy in Venezuela. Following the five-hour-long meeting, Colombian foreign affairs minister Alvaro Leyva read a brief statement in which he said the participating nations agreed it is necessary for Venezuela's government and opposition parties to set an electoral calendar that ensures free and fair conditions for all involved. Levya also said there was consensus around lifting sanctions if there's progress in negotiations over Venezuela's political future. Delegates from the United States, the European Union, Brazil and the United Kingdo

75% of six million Venezuelan migrants go unfed, unhoused, says UN

The United Nations said on Wednesday that almost three-quarters of the six million Venezuelan migrants currently in Latin America do not have adequate food, shelter, employment or medical care. The UN's International Organisation for Migration said in a report that 4.37 million of the Venezuelans who fled to other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean often live on the streets or inadequate housing, and often go hungry. Latin America and the Caribbean host 84 per cent of the estimated total of about 7 million Venezuelans who emigrated in recent years. The IOM and the UN refugee agency said that half of the Venezuelans in Latin America can't afford three meals a day. Many are forced to turn to sex work to meet their basic needs, the report said. Other take out informal loans or turn to begging. In Colombia, one of the countries that has received the largest number of Venezuelans, 29 per cent of Venezuelan children between the ages of 6 and 17 are not enrolled in ...

Inflation-stricken Venezuela rolls out new, larger-denomination banknotes

Venezuela this week is rolling out larger-denomination banknotes as hyperinflation batters the crisis-stricken South American country's bolivar currency