What Options Does Maduro Have After Venezuela's Contested Presidential Election?

Venezuela: The world’s democracies have almost unanimously condemned the results of Venezuela’s presidential election and called for a transparent vote count to confirm what the opposition says was its landslide victory over President Nicolás Maduro.

Two of Maduro’s closest allies — the leftist presidents of Brazil and Colombia — have recently joined a chorus of nations, including the U.S., that have expressed deep concerns about Sunday’s presidential election, which Venezuelan electoral authorities said the president won by seven points.

Maduro, however, has so far only dug in: claiming victory, jailing opponents and threatening to arrest his rival, Edmundo González. The opposition says González trounced the self-proclaimed socialist leader at the ballot box by a more than 2-to-1 margin.

As the electoral standoff moves into unchartered territory, here are some of Maduro’s options:

Election redo

The window for Maduro to back down is narrowing with every hour. The National Electoral Council has already proclaimed him the official winner.

If he does rethink his future, options range from resigning the presidency to ordering a redo of the election with international observers present to assure the vote has more credibility. Any such development could arise only from intense negotiations with the opposition and the United States about a power-sharing arrangement and protection from prosecution for Maduro and his allies.

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