Venezuelan Opposition Urges Resistance as Maduro Marks Disputed Re-election

On the anniversary of Nicolás Maduro’s heavily disputed re-election, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado on Monday urged citizens to engage in clandestine resistance against the president’s regime. Her call came amid rising tensions following the July 2024 vote, which the opposition claims was marred by fraud and manipulation.

Despite electoral authorities declaring Maduro the winner, no comprehensive breakdown of the voting results has been released, fuelling widespread suspicions of vote rigging. The opposition maintains that their candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, was the legitimate victor. The former diplomat has since fled into exile, while Machado, barred from contesting the election herself, has gone into hiding.

In a video message posted on social media, Machado accused Maduro of living in fear of an uprising:

“He is terrified of being invaded or overthrown, but he knows that millions of Venezuelans already inside the country will bring an end to his tyranny.”

Machado has long been a vocal critic of the Maduro government and has frequently been accused by authorities of leading plots to overthrow the regime.

According to opposition figures, nearly 1,000 activists and leaders, including many from Machado’s inner circle, have been arrested since the election.

Machado called for:

• Clandestine organisation of civil and political structures within Venezuela
• Preparation for non-violent civic mobilisation
• Nationwide disobedience against tyranny

Her remarks also followed her group’s call for a boycott of the May 25 parliamentary and gubernatorial elections, as well as local mayoral elections held over the weekend.

Election Results and Government Response

President Maduro’s ruling party claimed landslide victories in both the parliamentary and local elections, which were largely shunned by opposition supporters. In response to continued criticism and growing unrest, Maduro addressed the nation during a celebration outside the Miraflores Presidential Palace, declaring:

“Enough of fascism, no more conspiracies, no more calls for foreign interventions, no more economic war. Venezuela wants work, prosperity, and to move forward in unity.”

Despite these pronouncements, the political divide in Venezuela remains deeply entrenched. Machado’s growing underground movement, the exile of González Urrutia, and the mass arrests of opposition figures all signal escalating pressure on Maduro’s embattled leadership.