In Sunday’s presidential election in Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro declared himself the winner. However, the opposition is also asserting their victory, citing exit polls indicating that Maduro’s rival secured a significant majority.
Antony Blinken, the Secretary of State for the United States, is raising doubts about the result and requesting greater transparency.
Blinken expressed grave concerns that the outcome announced failed to represent the true intentions or preferences of the citizens of Venezuela.
Many Venezuelan immigrants living in Colorado are closely following the current situation and expressing their discontent. They had hoped for a resolution to the economic and political turmoil that has forced many to leave their homeland.
On Sunday, the Target parking lot located at the intersection of Havana Street and Mississippi Avenue in Aurora witnessed a tumultuous evening. The gathering was comprised of Venezuelan immigrants who had come together to witness the results of the elections.
As they swept and collected trash, a group of individuals expressed their concern about how their fellow Aurorans might view their fellow countrymen. Their aim was to clean up the mess that had been left behind by others, and they didn’t want their community to have a negative perception of their people.
In his own words, Augusto Colls expressed his desire to focus on finding a solution to a problem, rather than dwelling on the problem itself. Quoted as saying “I want to do a solution of the problem, not the problem,” Colls highlights the importance of taking proactive measures in addressing issues rather than simply identifying them.
Genesis Salloum Rosas expressed her disbelief and called Nicolas Maduro’s victory declaration a complete fraud. According to her, the overwhelming support for opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez, which she closely followed on social media, is evidence of this.
In Spanish, she expressed to CBS Colorado, “We have endured 25 years of dictatorship, and now we face the possibility of six more years that Venezuela will never recover from. People are taking to the streets in protest because they refuse to accept this outcome.”
CBS Colorado was shown videos by Salloum Rosas that were sent to her by friends capturing people taking to the streets in Venezuela. According to Rosas, the situation in the country is dire, and if things continue to worsen, many more individuals will flee the nation in search of better living conditions.
She added that if the current government remains in power amidst ongoing events, the number of people leaving the country could more than double from the emigration figures of the past few years.
In a statement regarding the elections in Venezuela, Gov. Jared Polis expressed his belief in the right to a free and fair election. He condemned the actions of socialist dictator Maduro, stating that he has deprived Venezuelans of their rights, dignity, and freedom. The Governor stands in solidarity with Venezuelans worldwide and urges the international community and America’s allies to put pressure on Venezuela’s government. The election results indicate irregularities, and Gov. Polis stresses the importance of supporting leaders who recognize election results without casting doubt or manipulating them. He also emphasizes the significance of supporting democratic electoral processes in our own country and across the world.