PCV says Maduro has taken a step of no return towards authoritarianism

The traditional leaders of the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV) said on Wednesday that the government of Nicolás Maduro “has taken a step of no return towards authoritarianism and very dangerous forms of state terrorism.” after the presidential elections – the official result of which gave the president the victory – triggered protests throughout the country that left 25 dead, some 200 people injured and more than 2,400 arrested.

“The acute political crisis in Venezuela has revealed the reactionary nature of the PSUV (United Socialist Party of Venezuela) government, which has taken a step of no return towards authoritarianism and very dangerous forms of state terrorism,” said the PCV, a party intervened by the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ), in a statement.

He denounced that since the elections there have been “arrests of minors, women and people with disabilities”, “arbitrary and humiliating searches in the streets”, “illegal raids on homes and theft of belongings”, as well as the “cancellation of passports”.

Politics of terror

“This policy of terror has been fueled by psychological and propaganda operations” that – the PCV said – seek to “neutralize popular protests.”

Maduro’s re-election took place after the National Electoral Council (CNE) announced the president’s victory, later validated by the TSJ, without yet publishing the disaggregated results, as established in the electoral process schedule, one month after the presidential elections.

The main opposition coalition, the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), claims that its standard-bearer, Edmundo González Urrutia, won the elections by a wide margin, which is supported by the publication, on a website, of 83.5% of the electoral records collected by witnesses and table members on election night, documents that have been supported by countries and international organizations, and rejected by the government.

The Executive dismisses the minutes released by the opposition and holds the leader of the PUD and his main ally, María Corina Machado, responsible for the deaths recorded during the protests, as well as the acts of “violence” that caused material damage in public places.

Maria Corina Machado announces that at this time the opposition has in its hands more than 84% of the minutes. pic.twitter.com/S9rKPsLIt7

— Emmanuel Rincón (@EmmaRincon) July 30, 2024