Venezuela Supreme Court affirms Maduro's re-election amid widespread fraud claims
Caracas, Venezuela - Venezuela's Supreme Court, which observers say is loyal to the government of President Nicolas Maduro, on Thursday declared him the winner of the disputed July 28 election amid opposition claims of widespread vote fraud.
In its ruling read by presiding judge Caryslia Rodriguez, the court said it had "indisputably certified election materials and validates the results of the July 28, 2024, presidential election issued by the National Electoral Council (CNE)," naming Maduro as the winner.
Maduro himself had asked the court earlier this month to weigh in on the election, in which he claims to have defeated opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia with 52% of ballots cast, according to the CNE.
The CNE did not provide a precinct-level breakdown of its results, saying it had been the victim of a cyberattack. Observers, however, say they believe the supposed hack is an excuse not to provide vote results.
The opposition says its own tally of polling-station-level results showed Gonzalez Urrutia (74) had won more than two-thirds of the votes.
Gonzalez Urrutia says Supreme Court ruling "will only make the crisis worse"
"To the court's judges: no decision will replace the will of the people. The country and the world know about your bias and, as a result, your inability to resolve this conflict," Gonzalez Urrutia said earlier Thursday in a social media post. "Your ruling will only make the crisis worse."
Rodriguez said earlier this month that the court's ruling would be "final."
Official sources have reported 25 people have been killed, 192 injured and 2,400 arrested in election-related protests.
Cover photo: Federico PARRA / AFP