US recognition of opposition leader as Venezuela’s president-elect sparks outrage
Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, May 23, 2024 in Caracas. (AFP Photo)
The United States officially recognized opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as the president-elect of Venezuela on Tuesday, marking the first time it has done so since the country’s disputed July election.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken made the announcement, furthering Washington’s stance that Gonzalez Urrutia won the vote despite incumbent Nicolas Maduro’s claims of victory amid allegations of electoral fraud.
“The Venezuelan people spoke resoundingly on July 28 and made (Gonzalez Urrutia) the president-elect,” Blinken wrote on X, referring to the contentious election that saw Maduro retain power. “Democracy demands respect for the will of the voters.”
This recognition marks a significant shift in U.S. rhetoric, although President Joe Biden had previously declared that Gonzalez Urrutia won the election. Blinken’s statement was followed by a message from Gonzalez Urrutia himself, expressing gratitude for the U.S. acknowledgment. “This gesture honors the change in our country and the civic feat that we carried out together this past July 28,” he said.
The U.S. announcement drew swift condemnation from Caracas. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil dismissed the recognition as “ridiculous,” calling Blinken an “avowed enemy of Venezuela.” Gil, who took to Telegram to respond, echoed a popular adage: “Once you are ridiculous, you never stop being ridiculous.”
Gonzalez Urrutia’s rise to prominence followed a turbulent election in which Maduro declared victory but failed to provide detailed evidence supporting his claims. The incumbent’s government, heavily criticized both domestically and internationally, has faced accusations of a harsh crackdown on opposition and widespread human rights abuses. Maduro, who is serving his third term, has presided over an oil-rich country in economic collapse, with severe shortages of food, medicine, and basic goods.
Amid growing domestic unrest, including widespread protests that led to 28 deaths and nearly 200 injuries, Gonzalez Urrutia fled Venezuela for Spain due to an outstanding arrest warrant. Meanwhile, opposition leader María Corina Machado, barred from running herself, has gone into hiding.
Maduro’s contested re-election has drawn criticism globally, including from the European Union. In response, the United States has continued to distance itself from Maduro’s regime, recognizing Gonzalez Urrutia as the legitimate president despite the current government’s grip on power.
The recognition comes at a time of shifting political tides in Washington, with Republican President-elect Donald Trump set to return to power in January. Trump has appointed Florida Senator Marco Rubio to succeed Blinken as secretary of state, positioning him to be the first Latino in that role. Rubio, the child of Cuban immigrants, is expected to take a firmer stance on Venezuela and other leftist governments in Latin America.
