UN Demands Venezuela Preserve Election Vote Tallies Amid Fraud Allegations
The UN Human Rights Committee has ordered Venezuela to preserve the voting tallies from the July presidential election amid allegations of electoral fraud. The government has not released the tallies to support its claim of victory for President Nicolás Maduro, while the opposition asserts that their candidate, Edmundo González, won decisively. International pressure mounts as multiple countries recognize González as the legitimate president-elect.
The United Nations’ Human Rights Committee has issued a directive to Venezuela, demanding that the nation refrain from destroying the voting tallies from the contentious July presidential election. These tallies, which detail the official vote breakdown from each polling location, are central to the ongoing dispute regarding the election’s legitimacy. The government-backed National Electoral Council (CNE) declared incumbent President Nicolás Maduro as the victor but has not disclosed the tallies to substantiate this claim. In contrast, the opposition has managed to compile and publish over 80% of the tallies, which they assert demonstrate that their candidate, Edmundo González, achieved a decisive victory. The Human Rights Committee is currently investigating allegations of electoral fraud, prompted by a complaint filed by a law firm representing a Venezuelan voter. To support this investigation, the committee has mandated that the Venezuelan government preserve the voting data from the July 28 election. Despite significant pressure on the CNE, which predominantly comprises government affiliates, to release the tallies, no such disclosure has occurred even four months post-election, with the CNE citing a purported computer hack on the election night as the cause of its failure to provide this data. The opposition, however, has successfully uploaded the data it collected online. Reports from independent observers and media entities, including the New York Times and CNN, indicate that these tallies suggest González secured approximately 67% of the votes, in stark contrast to Maduro’s reported 30%. Nonetheless, Maduro has dismissed the opposing tallies as fraudulent and asserts his claim to victory. He continues to prepare for his swearing-in on January 10, asserting his candidacy for a third term in office. This situation has led to increasing international support for González, with countries such as the United States, Italy, Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Uruguay recognizing him as the legitimate president-elect of Venezuela. IHR Legal, the international law firm that initiated the complaint to the UN Human Rights Committee, characterizes this case as groundbreaking and historic, potentially paving the way for the committee to affirm that Nicolás Maduro is not the elected president of Venezuela.
The controversy surrounding the Venezuelan presidential election, particularly regarding the legitimacy of the vote tallying process, has been significant. Following the election on July 28, the CNE declared President Nicolás Maduro the winner without providing the detailed vote breakdown, leading to accusations of fraud. The opposition, which has access to a significant portion of the voting tallies, argues that their candidate, Edmundo González, actually won the election decisively. Given these circumstances, the UN Human Rights Committee’s involvement underscores the serious allegations of electoral misconduct in Venezuela and reflects ongoing international concern regarding democratic processes in the country.
In summary, the United Nations’ Human Rights Committee has taken a firm stance by ordering Venezuela to preserve the contested voting tallies from the July presidential election as part of an investigation into potential electoral fraud. While the government maintains that President Nicolás Maduro won the election, the opposition claims that evidence supports Edmundo González as the rightful victor. The situation highlights significant internal and international challenges to the legitimacy of Maduro’s authority, with several countries recognizing González as the legitimate president-elect.
Original Source: www.bbc.com
