Nicolás Maduro Vows to ‘Pulverize’ Challenge to His Rule After Disputed Venezuela Election
CARACAS — Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has vowed to “pulverize” the latest challenge to his rule, telling troops he is “willing to do anything” to protect his “revolution” amid growing criticism of his crackdown on the opposition following last week’s disputed election.
Maduro stated that over 2,000 people have been arrested since the contentious July 28 vote, while human rights groups report at least 22 people have been killed in the ensuing turmoil.
On Sunday, the European Union expressed serious concern over the increasing number of arbitrary detentions and the harassment of opposition figures. The EU cited evidence from the opposition suggesting their candidate, Edmundo González, won the election.
“The European Union calls on Venezuelan authorities to put an end to arbitrary detentions, repression, and violent rhetoric against members of the opposition and civil society, and to release all political prisoners,” said Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, in a statement.
Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly also condemned the violence, stating that citizen witnesses and international observers provided “credible evidence” that the election results declared by Maduro’s authorities “don’t reflect the will of the Venezuelan people.”
Maduro, who claims he won the election but has yet to provide proof, dismissed the criticism during a military ceremony in Caracas. “The EU is a disgrace,” Maduro declared to members of the Bolivarian National Guard, a branch of the military involved in the post-election crackdown.
Decorating troops he said were injured during disturbances, Maduro announced, “We are confronting, defeating, containing, and pulverizing an attempted coup in Venezuela.” He called for a “total deployment” of troops to counter the opposition challenge and assured the military, “You can be certain that we will go after all of the criminals and all of the fascists because fascism will not seize power in Venezuela. I am willing to do anything and I am counting on you to ensure order, law, and the constitution prevail.”
Sunday’s event seemed aimed at demonstrating military unity as political opponents urged the armed forces to abandon Maduro. A day earlier, tens of thousands of pro-government protesters marched to the presidential palace, showcasing public support for Maduro.
During the televised ceremony, a young soldier declared loyalty to Maduro, stating, “Be mindful that you have a Bolivarian National Guard that is committed, devoted, and absolutely from the bottom of its heart loyal to you and to the Bolivarian revolution.”
“We are aware that only with you leading us the homeland will not be lost; that only with you leading us the flame of revolution will not go out,” the soldier added.
Despite the hard-line rhetoric and wave of arrests, opposition supporters returned to the streets on Saturday, spurred by María Corina Machado, the charismatic leader who boosted González’s campaign.
“After six days of brutal repression they thought they would silence us, frighten us, and paralyze us … [But] we are going to go all the way,” Machado told thousands of supporters.
González, writing in the Economist, rejected Maduro’s accusations that his campaign incited violence or aimed at an illegal power grab. “It would be against my principles and against my lifelong record to advocate any violence, let alone a coup d’état. The regime, on the contrary, seems to be willing to stay in power by any means possible, including the use of violence,” stated González, a 74-year-old diplomat who ran for the presidency after Machado was banned from the race.
Claiming he won “a large, indisputable majority” in the election, González called for “a competent, impartial verification of the election results with urgency.”
The US and other countries have recognized González’s win, while left-wing governments in Brazil and Colombia have urged Maduro to release detailed election data to ease the crisis. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy tweeted, “It is essential that the safety of the democratic opposition is respected.”
Maduro, widely blamed for Venezuela’s crippling economic crisis that has driven about eight million citizens to flee abroad, has shown no willingness to release election data or relinquish power. On Sunday, he branded one political opponent “a filthy rat” and others “demonic forces,” likening them to Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and Francisco Franco. “I will never surrender,” Maduro declared.
