Venezuela’s opposition faces setback after countries suggest repeat of presidential election
Associated PressSAO PAULO — Venezuela’s opposition was dealt a blow Thursday when countries that had been pressuring President Nicolás Maduro to release vote tallies backing his claim to victory in last month’s presidential election began suggesting a repeat of the contest instead. Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, during a virtual news conference with Argentine media, said that repeating the July 28 presidential election would be “an insult” to the people, and she asked if a second election were held and Maduro still didn’t accept the results, “do we go for a third one?” In Washington, U.S. President Joe Biden expressed support for new elections in comments to reporters that the White House later appeared to back away from. Logistics, laws and costs aside, a new election would be a risky gamble for Maduro and his allies as July’s vote and subsequent protests showed they have lost support across the country and can no longer bank on a cadre of die-hard supporters, known as “Chavistas,” as well as public employees and others whose businesses or employment depend on the state to comfortably beat opponents. A White House National Security Official who was not authorized to comment publicly later told The Associated Press that Biden was speaking to the “absurdity of Maduro and his representatives not coming clean about the July 28 elections.” The official added that it is “abundantly clear” to the majority of Venezuelan people, the U.S., and other governments that González won the most votes in last month’s election.