Venezuela 24 dead in protests after presidential election

For over a week, opponents of the government have been protesting against what they see as a rigged election. Security forces are cracking down. The death toll is rising.

Keystone-SDA

07.08.2024, 06:00

07.08.2024, 06:20

SDA

According to the human rights organization Provea, a total of 24 people have died in the protests following the presidential election in Venezuela, which has been overshadowed by allegations of fraud. In at least nine of the registered killings, armed civilian groups close to the government, so-called "colectivos", have been identified by eyewitnesses as possible perpetrators, Provea announced via the X platform. According to the human rights organization Human Rights Watch, there are also "credible reports of 24 deaths" during the protests.

Over the past few days, numerous people in Venezuela have demonstrated against what they believe to be a rigged election. The authorities have cracked down, with over 2,000 people arrested so far according to government figures.

Opposition leader María Corina Machado had called on her supporters to persevere. "Fear will not paralyze us, we will overcome it and we will not leave the streets," she said in an audio message.

Power struggle with MaduroUSA recognizes rival as election winner in Venezuela

After the election on July 28, the electoral authority, which is loyal to the government, officially declared authoritarian President Nicolás Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, the winner. The opposition accuses the government of electoral fraud and claims victory for its candidate Edmundo González Urrutia.