US Recognizes Venezuela's Opposition Leader as President-Elect After Disputed Election

Caracas: U.S. government officially recognized Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo González as "president-elect" on Tuesday, months after President Nicolás Muro declared victory in July election.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken recognized González in a post on X in which he also demanded “respect for will” of Venezuelan voters.

Biden ministration h previously stated that González received most votes in disputed July 28 election, but h stopped short of officially recognizing him as president-elect.

Venezuela's National Electoral Council, dominated by Muro loyalists, declared him winner shortly after polls closed, but unlike past elections, no detailed vote counts were released.

However, opposition coalition gared tally sheets from 80% of Venezuela's electronic voting machines and published m online. González and opposition leer Maria Corina Macho claimed records showed he won election with twice as many votes as Muro.

“We deeply appreciate recognition of sovereign will of all Venezuelans,” González said in a post on X shortly after Blinken’s statement Tuesday. “This gesture honors desire for change of our people and civic feat that we carried out toger on July 28.”

After a warrant was issued for his arrest over an investigation into release of vote tally sheets, González fled Venezuela for exile in Spain in September. 

In response to Blinken's remarks, Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yván Gil launched personal attacks.

“In last days of his government, he should dedicate himself to reflecting on his failures, getting rid of imperial and colonial complexes and going to write memoirs of how Bolivarian Revolution me him bite dust of defeat, just like his predecessors,” Gil said of Blinken in a statement, which did not mention election results.

Muro and electoral authorities have rejected repeated calls from U.S., European Union, Colombia, Brazil and or nations to show detailed vote records that back up president’s reelection.

Swift condemnation of lack of post-election transparency prompted Muro to ask Venezuela’s Supreme Tribunal of Justice, whose members are aligned with ruling party, to audit results. high court reaffirmed his victory.

Experts from United Nations and U.S.-based Carter Center, which observed election at invitation of Muro’s government, determined results announced by electoral authorities lacked credibility. U.N. experts stopped short of validating opposition’s claim to victory but said faction’s voting records published online appear to exhibit all of original security features.

Earlier in week, Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro, who has friendly relations with Muro, reversed his support for July elections, calling vote a “mistake.”

Petro spoke in an interview with Brazilian news outlet Globo News, which released excerpts online that Petro’s office shared Tuesday on social media. Petro told news outlet Monday while visiting Brazil for G20 summit that he initially was in favor of Venezuela holding elections, but that he later decided that vote was not “free.”

“I think elections were a mistake,” Petro said. His office did not immediately respond to a request for him to elaborate on reasons for his change of heart.

Petro, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and n-Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obror — all leftists friendly with Muro — attempted to make peace as results came under dispute, but effort went nowhere.

Venezuela's next presidential term begins on January 10, with Muro alrey receiving an invitation from National Assembly, controlled by ruling party, for his swearing-in ceremony.

(with agency inputs)