Under Allies' Pressure, Maduro Requests Supreme Court to Audit Venezuela's Election

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has requested the Supreme Court to audit the recent presidential election. This move comes after opposition leaders challenged his victory claim and amid international calls for detailed vote counts. Maduro stated on Wednesday that the ruling party is prepared to present all tally sheets from Sunday's election.

International Pressure and Opposition Claims

Colombian President Gustavo Petro, a close ally of Maduro, joined other foreign leaders in urging for the release of detailed vote counts. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and US President Joe Biden also called for the "immediate release of full, transparent, and detailed voting data at the polling station level." Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado claimed that their obtained tallies show Edmundo González received 6.2 million votes compared to Maduro's 2.7 million, contrasting sharply with the electoral council's report.

Maduro's main opponent, Edmundo González, along with Machado, asserted they have more than two-thirds of the tally sheets printed by each electronic voting machine. They believe releasing this data will prove Maduro lost. Maduro alleged a plot against his government and claimed the electoral system was hacked but provided no evidence.

Calls for Transparency and International Observations

The European Union's foreign affairs chief, Josep Borrell, speaking from Vietnam, stated that the EU would not recognise Maduro's victory without independent verification of voting records. "They should have been provided immediately, as in any democratic electoral process," Borrell said. The Carter Center also criticised the lack of transparency, stating it could not verify the results due to authorities' failure to provide individual polling tallies.

The Carter Center had 17 experts observing the election across four cities but reported a "complete lack of transparency" in declaring Maduro the winner. The group noted that the election did not meet international standards and "cannot be considered democratic." The National Electoral Council has yet to release printed results from polling centres as it did in past elections.

Protests and Arrests Following Election Results

Following the announcement of Maduro's victory by the electoral council on Monday, thousands protested in Caracas and other cities. These protests continued into Tuesday and turned violent at times, with law enforcement responding with tear gas and gun pellets. Attorney General Tarek William Saab reported over 700 arrests during nationwide demonstrations on Monday and mentioned one officer was killed.

The Venezuela-based human rights organisation Foro Penal reported that 11 people, including two minors, were killed in election-related unrest. The Organisation of American States planned to discuss Venezuela's election on Wednesday. National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez defended Maduro, calling his opponents violent fascists and praising the arrests of protesters.

Opposition Leaders Urge Calm

Machado and González urged their supporters to remain peaceful and avoid violence. "I ask Venezuelans to continue in peace, demanding that the result be respected and the tally sheets be published," González said on X. He added that this victory would unite and reconcile the nation.

Maduro is expected to address national and foreign media on Wednesday afternoon in his first official news conference since the election. Meanwhile, pressure continues to mount against him as calls for transparency grow louder both domestically and internationally.