Protests continue in the capital of Venezuela to oppose the outcome of the presidential elections. Thousands of people gathered in the center of Caracas in support of the opposition and against Nicolas Maduro’s victory. Many of them say they will not stop until there is a new government, while others demand that the military and police forces join the protesters.
However, security forces have so far remained loyal to President Maduro and have fired tear gas and rubber bullets towards the demonstrators. Authorities report that more than 750 individuals have been arrested. Two non-governmental organizations in Venezuela state that some people have lost their lives and dozens of others have been injured in clashes between protesters and the police.
The Minister of Defense in the Latin American country considered the protests a coup attempt. Maduro claims victory in the presidential elections, also declared by the Electoral Committee, but the opposition says he won with over 70% of the votes. Following doubts raised by Washington, the European Union has also confirmed that it will not recognize the outcome of the presidential elections in Venezuela.
While some people are protesting harshly, doubting the electoral victory of Nicolas Maduro, the current president of Venezuela thanked the statesmen who were the first to congratulate him on the election result. Among them are Aleksandar Vuçiq, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, representatives of Iran, and Guinea-Bissau.
“I express my gratitude to the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vuçiq, for his emotional words of support, respect, and good wishes for our homeland, which is moving towards a future of growth, peace, and tranquility. We will continue our ongoing work for the good of our people,” wrote Nicolas Maduro in X.
In the document he added to his announcement, which Vuçiq signed on July 29, it says:
“Your Excellency, I would like to send you my congratulations on your victory in the elections. The times we live in are certainly not easy, and I wish you success in your professional efforts and challenges in leading the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Let me emphasize how pleased I am with our cooperation, especially our direct communication, as I have learned a lot from our phone conversation, when we had a very fruitful exchange. We greatly appreciate the respect for the principles of international law in Venezuela, the UN Charter, UN Security Council Resolution 1244, and consequently the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Serbia. I take this opportunity to send you, Your Excellency, my congratulations, as well as my warm greetings and assurances of my highest respect.”
Maduro also thanked Xi Jinping and the people of the People’s Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Guinea-Bissau President Oumar Sissoko Embal, and Vladimir Putin, adding that “the peoples of Venezuela and Russia are united in brotherhood.”
