Maduro calls for Venezuelan dialogue after election win

Muhammad Amin

Vowing right-wing opponents won’t be able to spark a crisis following his election, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has called for a new, national dialogue.

The US-backed, right-wing opposition has rejected the election outcome, claiming it won 70% of the vote, resulting in sporadic violence.

In his acceptance address Tuesday, Maduro displayed photos and videos of the unrest in the country, asking: “Are these the people who will govern Venezuela? So they can come to power and take office? To unleash a civil war?”.

“They want to create a political crisis, they could not and will not be able to. Acts of violence and fascism will not happen. We will win,” he said to wild cheering.

Maduro said the State Council and the National Security Council would meet later Tuesday to plan a major dialogue on economic, social, cultural, spiritual, and political issues.

“All of Venezuela is invited. This is a sovereign dialogue, no one will dare to stick their nose into it. Enough. This page has already been turned. This is a dialogue between Venezuelans.”

Maduro claimed Monday people he did not identify had tried to “to impose in Venezuela a coup d’etat,” following the opposition’s rejection of his reelection for a six-year term.

“Defeating fascism and its demons is a historic feat and our people have done it! Once again, our people have done it!” Maduro said after officially receiving the credential that will allow him to govern the country until 2031.

US-backed politicians who were rejecting the elections were the same ones who led violent groups that sought to sow chaos and violence on previous occasions, he claimed.

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado rejected the outcome Monday and instead announced opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez as the winner of Sunday’s presidential election.

Machado said, ” All of the world knows that. We won in all of the country’s states.”

Venezuela’s National Electoral Council declared Maduro the winner after garnering 51.2% of all votes cast, with 80% counted.

Exit polls put Gonzalez, of the Unitary Platform opposition alliance, at 44.2%; Machado claimed Gonzalez scored 70%.