Venezuela’s Maduro taunts opposition candidate González amid pro-government rallies

President Nicolas Maduro has scoffed at opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez as thousands of Venezuelans marched across the South American country to show support for Maduro’s re-election.

Venezuela’s ruling party summoned its followers on Saturday in Caracas to carry out what they called the “mother of all marches” to celebrate what they assure was Maduro’s reelection for a third term.

“Today, he was afraid to swear himself in. He did not go to the opposition march. The gentleman was afraid today. They were going to put the sash on him today, and he was going to be sworn in. He was afraid. You dripped, Gonzalez Urrutia,” Maduro said at the rally.

“We are winning, the wooden crucifix on high, and nobody lets their guard down. Nerves of steel, calm and sanity, and maximum union and popular, military, and police mobilization. Military and police patrols are maintained in all cities and towns to protect the people,” he added.

Maduro has blamed both opposition leaders for the protests that took place at the beginning of the week in Caracas and several cities of the interior which left 11 dead and 939 arrested, among them 90 teenagers, according to humanitarian organizations.

Elsewhere, opposition supporters marched to demand justice, buoyed by the presence of leader Maria Corina Machado, who emerged from hiding on Saturday to join her demonstrations on the streets of Caracas.

“Just as it took us a long time to achieve electoral victory, now comes a stage that we take day by day, but we have never been as strong as today, never,” Machado told supporters in Caracas.

Venezuela's electoral authority, announced Maduro as the winner in last Sunday’s vote, saying on Monday he obtained 51% compared to 46% for opposition candidate Gonzalez. The authority reaffirmed a similar margin on Friday.

The published election result sparked widespread allegations of fraud and protests. Subsequently, security forces cracked down on protests which Maduro’s government said were part of an attempted US-backed coup.

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Gonzalez’s claim to victory has been recognized by the US and several Latin American countries, including Argentina, Uruguay and Peru.

Russia, China, Cuba, and other supporting countries have accepted Maduro’s re-election.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken claimed that there was “overwhelming evidence” that Venezuela’s opposition won the recent presidential election.

The US State Department later said Blinken had spoken to Gonzalez to congratulate him “for receiving the most votes.”

“We thank the United States for recognizing the will of the Venezuelan people reflected in our electoral victory and for supporting the process of restoration of democratic norms in Venezuela,” Gonzalez Urrutia replied on X social media platform after Blinken’s statement.

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