Venezuela’s Supreme Court validates Maduro’s victory amid criticism over its lack of independence
The court’s ruling was anticipated by the opposition, with presidential candidate Edmundo González Urrutia warning that the TSJ could not assume the functions of the National Electoral Council
The Venezuelan Supreme Court (TSJ) — which is controlled by the Chavista ruling party — validated on Thursday President Nicolás Maduro’s victory at the July 28 presidential election, which the opposition claims it won.
“This chamber declares on the basis of the expertise carried out, and based on the report prepared by national and international experts, the unobjectionable validity of the electoral material surveyed and validates the results of the presidential election,” said Caryslia Rodriguez, the president of the TSJ.
The court’s ruling was anticipated by the opposition, with presidential candidate Edmundo González Urrutia issuing a statement on Wednesday that warned that the TSJ could not assume the functions of Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE).
Another presidential candidate Enrique Márquez also requested that Rodriguez be recused from the case, claiming “she has not hidden, either in the past or in the present, her political ties with the ruling party.”
After declaring Maduro the winner on July 28, the CNE said it had been the victim of a cyberattack, and since then, the president of the CNE, Elvis Amoroso — a close friend of Maduro — and the rest of the body have not provided any further information about the results. According to the CNE, Maduro won the vote with 51.2% of support, compared to 44.2% for González Urrutia.
But the tally sheets collected by the opposition paint a different picture. According to these paper records — which the opposition has digitalized and posted on a website — González Urrutia won a crushing victory: 67% versus 30% for Maduro.
In response to the TSJ’s ruling on Thursday, González Urrutia posted: “The organs of the state emanate from popular sovereignty and are subject to it. They shall not usurp the truth.”
In addition to validating Maduro’s victory, Rodriguez also held González Urrutia in contempt of court for not attending a summons as a witness, and has called on the Public Prosecution’s Office to open a case into the politician.
“The country and the world know your bias and, therefore, your inability to resolve the conflict; your decision will only aggravate the crisis,” said Gonzalez Urrutia on Thursday.
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