Maduro isolated as US vows action over ‘sham’ Venezuela polls
Venezuela faced growing international isolation and a deepening economic crisis Monday following President Nicolas Maduro’s contested re-election as the United States threatened punitive measures against his regime over the “sham” vote.
The stern reaction from Washington further ratcheted up the pressure on the leftist Maduro, after the Lima Group’s 14 members, including regional powers Argentina, Brazil, and Canada moved to recall their ambassadors in protest at the opposition-boycotted vote.
AFP / Juan BARRETO. Although Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro won more than two-thirds of the votes cast in Sunday’s election, the ballot was marred by a historic absention rate of 52%.
Addressing cheering supporters outside Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Maduro celebrated his election to another six-year term as a “historical record,” after officials credited him with 68 percent of votes cast, far ahead of the 21 percent for his nearest rival, ex-army officer Henri Falcon.
But with Venezuela’s long-suffering population enduring an economic crisis marked by food and medicine shortages, violent unrest and a mass exodus by hundreds of thousands, the vote was marred by historic 52 percent abstention, and boycotted by the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) opposition coalition as a “farce.”
AFP / Federico PARRA. Supporters of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro were celebrating his “knockout” victory
Washington echoed that assessment with Vice President Mike Pence denouncing the vote as a “sham” and “illegitimate,” and brandished the threat of new sanctions.
“The United States stands with democratic nations in support of the Venezuelan people and will take swift economic and diplomatic actions to support the restoration of their democracy,” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.
“Until the Maduro regime restores a democratic path in Venezuela through free, fair, and transparent elections, the government faces isolation from the international community.”
Vote buying allegations
Falcon, a loyalist of the late leftist firebrand leader Hugo Chavez who was neck-and-neck with Maduro in pre-election polls, says the vote lacked “legitimacy” and accused the government of vote buying.
“It is obvious that (Maduro) has no popular support and has lost legitimacy,” said opposition deputy Jose Manuel Olivares.
Maduro may have won, but the near future appears bleak as the country faces economic ruin.
The IMF estimates that Venezuela’s GDP will continue to shrink this year, with the inflation rate expected to reach 13,800 percent.
Venezuela has always relied on its oil, but production has dropped to its lowest level in 30 years despite a recent rise in prices.
“The upcoming scenario is clear: political tension and radicalization, repression, massive international rejection, a sharpening of sanctions, and a climax to the economic crisis,” said analyst Luis Vicente Leon.
Maduro, a former bus driver, union leader, foreign minister and Chavez’s hand-picked political heir, has presided over an implosion of the once-wealthy oil producer’s economy since taking office in 2013.
The socialist leader insists Venezuela is the victim of an “economic war” waged by the conservative opposition and external powers including the United States aimed at toppling him.
In his victory speech, he vowed to “dedicate me entirely towards economic recovery.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Maduro on his win, but hoped for “national dialogue in the interests of the entire Venezuelan people,” the Kremlin said.
In Beijing, the foreign ministry said the parties should “respect the choices made by the people of Venezuela.”
At his victory rally, Maduro called for a “national dialogue,” even though the opposition said it would step up pressure for “legitimate elections” later in the year.
But the opposition is deeply divided, with Falcon stirring up a hornet’s nest when he left the coalition to run for president.
As for Maduro, his biggest risk is an “implosion” if government officials are cornered and pressed by the international sanctions, Leon said.
Abhinav Kaushal The Kootneeti Team - Latin American Watch
