Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has revealed that she is currently in hiding, expressing fears for her safety and claiming to possess evidence that President Nicolas Maduro did not legitimately win Sunday's controversial presidential election. In an opinion editorial published by The Wall Street Journal, Machado stated, 'I am writing this from hiding, fearing for my life, my freedom. I could be captured as I write these words.' A source from her campaign confirmed that Machado is currently 'sheltered.'
Following the election results that declared Maduro as the winner with 51% of the votes, protests erupted across Venezuela. The election was considered highly significant, with the country's democracy and economic recovery at stake. Many young opposition supporters expressed intentions to leave the country if Maduro secured re-election, citing the economic collapse and repression under his rule.
The opposition movement, which had united to support a single candidate, posed a formidable challenge to the ruling establishment. However, the electoral process was marred by allegations of irregularities, including the arrest of opposition figures, the disqualification of key leaders like Machado, and restrictions on overseas Venezuelans voting.
The Carter Center, an independent monitoring institution, criticized the electoral process, stating that it did not meet international standards of integrity and violated national laws. Despite Maduro's victory announcement, Venezuela's opposition and several Latin American leaders have refused to recognize the results.
Machado claims to possess evidence that Maduro lost to opposition candidate Edmundo González by a significant margin. She alleges to have receipts from over 80% of the polling stations, indicating a different outcome from the official results. Machado expressed awareness of the regime's tactics and the control exerted by the National Electoral Council, making Maduro's concession of defeat unlikely.
In her efforts to challenge the election outcome, Machado shared what she claims to be the actual election results. She remains resolute in her stance against the declared victory of Maduro, emphasizing her determination to expose what she believes to be electoral fraud.
