Venezuela opposition: Everyone knows we won vote

The Venezuelan opposition leader, María Corina Machado, has said the US, Europe and the UK should recognise the opposition’s candidate as the president of Venezuela.

Speaking to international journalists, Ms Machado said: “Everyone knows that Edmundo González is the president-elect.”

Multiple foreign governments have said they believe the opposition won July’s election in Venezuela, but stopped short of recognising Mr González as the president.

The state-run electoral council and the country’s highest court – both stacked with government loyalists – have announced that President Nicolás Maduro won a third term in July, but voting tallies published by the opposition indicate Mr González won.

Ms Machado was banned from running in the election and Mr González ran in her place.

“I certainly think they [the US and UK] should recognise Edmundo González for what he is,” she said in a response to the BBC when asked if it was time for the West to recognise him as president.

“The position of Maduro is to increase repression. It keeps on isolating him and is unsustainable,” she added.

The result has been recognised by President Maduro’s allies including Russia, China and Iran, but not the majority of foreign governments, who have called on the government to release the voting tallies to prove the result.

This includes some countries that had previously maintained closer relationships with Maduro’s government, including Brazil and Colombia.

After the last election in 2018 was widely dismissed as neither free nor fair, dozens of governments including the US recognised the then opposition leader Juan Guaido as the interim president and imposed heavy sanctions on Venezuela.

But the US, UK and EU have stopped short of recognising Mr González as the president this time, despite US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken saying there is “overwhelming evidence” that he won, not President Maduro.

Instead, several foreign governments in the West have prioritised the so-called “Brazil approach” to try to negotiate a peaceful transition of power with Mr Maduro’s government.

In response, Ms Machado said: “Some countries withheld from doing that [recognising the opposition candidate as president].

“We need to increase our stake at this point. The UK should move forward and say that Edmundo is president.”

She added that President Maduro had to recognise that “the cost of staying in power will increase every day that goes by”.

“I certainly think the US should do much more. Perpetrators of human rights violations should know they will be held accountable. Not only in the military but also the judicial system.

“These messages should come clear to the regime.”

She remains in hiding as she spoke to journalists. The government has called for her and Mr González to be arrested.

She said there was “certainly” a risk they could be put in prison.

“They are looking for us intensely. They have put in prison people they thought know where I was,” she said.

“We have to stay alive and free and that is our main challenge.

“Every day that goes by is harder and riskier. The regime is able to do anything. They have no limits.”

But she said she would not seek asylum elsewhere: “I believe my duty is to stay in Venezuela.”