Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro calla for arrest of political rivals

The opposition, which claims its candidate was the rightful victor, said 16 people were killed in protests that erupted after Sunday’s election.

Nicolas Maduro invokes the bible during a press conference to the international media in Caracas on Wednesday. Picture: AFP

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, facing mounting pressure to offer evidence his election victory was valid, said overnight on Wednesday that opposition leaders Maria Corina Machado and Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia should be imprisoned following deadly protests across the country.

“They should be behind bars,” the leader told reporters.

The opposition, which claims its candidate Mr Gonzalez Urrutia was the rightful victor, said 16 people were killed in protests that erupted after Sunday’s election in the Latin American country.

The White House warned its patience, and that of the international community, was “running out” with Venezuela, joining the EU and regional nations in demanding a detailed breakdown of the ballots cast.

Mr Maduro said he was “ready to present 100 per cent of the records”, as he addressed journalists outside the Supreme Court of Justice, where he filed an appeal against what he termed an “attack against the electoral process”. “I am willing to be summoned, questioned, investigated in all aspects by the electoral chamber,” he said.

But Brian Nichols, the top US diplomat for Latin America, said polling results released by the opposition provided “irrefutable evidence” that Mr Maduro lost “by millions of votes”.

On Monday, security forces fired teargas and rubber bullets at Venezuelans after thousands took to the streets shouting “Freedom, freedom!” and “This government is going to fall!”

Ms Machado, who was replaced by Mr Gonzalez Urrutia after being barred from running, said there had been 177 detentions and 11 “forced disappearances”, while Attorney-General Tarek William Saab said 749 had been arrested at protests, some of whom may face terrorism charges. The military reported one death and 23 injuries among its ranks.

Undaunted, thousands gathered again on Tuesday for peaceful demonstrations of support for the opposition in several cities.

“I want to note that our ­patience, and that of the international community, is running out,” US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Wednesday.

“It’s running out on waiting for the Venezuelan electoral authorities to come clean and release the full detailed data on this election so that everyone can see the results.”

In neighbouring Colombia – which hosts the largest number of Venezuelans who have fled economic collapse and repression – President Gustavo Petro called for a transparent vote count under “professional international supervision”.

The Carter Centre, one of the few international bodies whose observers were allowed into Venezuela, said the elections “cannot be considered democratic”. But in an emergency meeting on Wednesday, the Organisation of American States failed to adopt a resolution calling for the detailed results to be released “immed­iately”, with Colombia and Brazil abstaining.

Mr Maduro has led the oil-rich country since 2013, presiding over a GDP drop of 80 per cent that pushed more than seven million of once-wealthy Venezuela’s 30 million citizens to emigrate. He is accused of locking up critics and harassing opponents in a climate of rising authoritarianism.

Sunday’s elections were held in the shadow of Mr Maduro’s warnings of a “bloodbath” if he were to lose, and amid widespread fear the vote would be rigged. Independent polls had predicted a convincing win for Mr Gonzalez Urrutia. Mr Maduro’s previous reelection, in 2018, was rejected as a sham by dozens of Latin American and other countries, including the US and members of the EU. But years of crippling US sanctions failed to dislodge the President, who enjoys loyalty from the military leadership, electoral bodies, courts and other state institutions, as well as the backing of Russia, China and Cuba.

Peru recognised Mr Gonzalez Urrutia as Venezuela’s legitimate president on Tuesday, prompting Caracas to sever diplomatic ties.

AFP