Venezuelan Supreme Court receives minutes confirming Maduro’s reelection

Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE) announced on Monday night (5) that it had delivered to the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) the electoral records confirming President Nicolás Maduro’s victory in the July 28 elections.

According to the CNE, Maduro obtained around 51% of the vote, while Edmundo González, the opposition candidate led by Maria Corina Machado, received approximately 43%.

Despite the official result, Edmundo González did not accept defeat and, like Juan Guaidó before him, proclaimed himself president of Venezuela, contesting the legitimacy of Maduro’s victory.

Elvis Amoroso, president of the CNE, reported that all electoral documents requested by the TSJ were delivered for validation of the results. “All documents requested by the highest court of the Republic were delivered,” Amoroso said during a hearing.

The TSJ requested from the CNE the minutes of the counting of votes from all the electoral tables, in addition to the minutes of the final tally, judgment and proclamation of the elections.

Caryslia Rodríguez, president of the TSJ, confirmed receipt of the material and stated that the court will investigate the allegations of fraud, with a deadline of up to 15 days to conclude the investigation.

The TSJ has summoned Edmundo González and three other opposition candidates to appear before the court on Wednesday (7). The hearing with Maduro is scheduled for Friday (9).

The Supreme Court highlighted that the objective is to “consolidate all electoral records held by parties and candidates”. All those summoned “must provide the required information and answer the questions asked”.

Edmundo González, however, did not attend the last call, which took place on Friday (2), where the defeated candidates were supposed to sign a term accepting the results presented by the CNE.

It is important to note that both the United States and the European Union have refused to recognize Maduro’s victory, alleging fraud in the elections. Brazil has taken a more cautious stance, demanding the presentation of electoral records detailing the votes cast in each ballot box before recognizing any result.

The absence of these electoral records in the public domain has become a central point in the accusations of fraud made by the Venezuelan opposition.