Colombia’s foreign minister urged on Venezuela to “clear any doubts about the results” of the hotly contested presidential election that was won by President Nicolas Maduro.
Maduro defeated his rival, Edmundo Gonzalez, with 51.2% against 44.2%, Venezuela’s electoral council said early Monday morning after counting 80% of the votes.
Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado rejected the official outcome, claiming that “we won.”
Shortly after both sides claimed victory, Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo said in a statement that “we consider it fundamental that the voices of all sectors are heard.”
The foreign minister urged to “clear any doubts about the results. This implies that observers and international observers present their conclusions about the process.”
We call to carry out the final vote count, its verification and audit as soon as possible.
Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo
“The electoral results of such an important day must have all the credibility and legitimacy possible for the good of the region and, above all, of the Venezuelan people,” said Murillo.
Neither the foreign minister nor President Gustavo Petro immediately recognized the result or congratulated Maduro.
The election results were met with skepticism throughout the Americas.
The United States’ Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed “serious concerns that the result announced does not reflect he will or the votes of the Venezuelan people.”
Chilean President Gabriel Boric said on Twitter that “the results they published are hard to believe.”
Like Murillo, Blinken an Boric also called on transparency.
Argentina’s President Javier Milei ignored the official vote count and claimed that “the data show an overwhelming victory of the opposition.”
The election was marred by the suppression of voters abroad.
In Colombia, the home of some 2.8 million Venezuelan citizens, only 7,000 people were able to register to vote due to draconian regulations.