Venezuelans hit the streets to protest Maduro's apparent fraud

The presidential elections in Venezuela and their controversial result appear to have unleashed chaos. President Nicolás Maduro, instead of looking like a winner, seems more alone and entrenched than ever.

Maduro had stated during his electoral campaign that his defeat would bring “a bloodbath” to Venezuela. However, the lack of transparency in a process that the opposition accuses of being rigged has brought everything but peace.

The Spanish newspaper El País reports that spontaneous protests the day after the elections have left at least two dead and more than 45 people detained in several Venezuelan cities.

The NGO Foro Penal reported that the arrests occurred in different states nationwide, including Barinas, Anzoátegui, Distrito Capital, Aragua, Zulia, Carabobo, Miranda, and Mérida.

Statues of Hugo Chávez, the founder of the Bolivarian Revolution and Maduro's predecessor were brought down, as seen in images that went viral on social media.

Image: EfectoCocuyo / X

The BBC reports that the popular neighborhoods of Caracas, formerly strongholds of Chavismo, were filled with the noise of pots and pans and the presence of protesters.

Al Jazeera reports that the Venezuelan law enforcement have come out to repress protesters, with several crowds in Caracas trying to reach the presidential palace.

The presence of armed gangs allied to Chavismo, known as “colectivos”, was also recorded, dispersing the protests with gunshots.

Maiquetía, the main airport in the Venezuelan capital, was also affected by discontented crowds. Several protesters have blocked access to the airport, causing disorder in the country's air traffic.

Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López stated that 23 members of the Venezuelan Armed Forces had been injured during the protests.

The Venezuelan newspaper TalCual indicated that the Minister of Defense highlighted that the Armed Forces would not allow the country to fall into the cycles of protests experienced in 2014, 2017, and 2019.

Now it remains to be seen what Nicolás Maduro will do in the face of what has turned out to be one of the biggest challenges since his arrival to power in 2013.

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