Venezuelans march against disputed election, arrests rise

Thousands of Venezuelans marched across the South American country on Saturday over disputed elections, while President Nicolas Maduro told supporters that around 2,000 people had been arrested in protests over the results.

Venezuela’s electoral body, which has been criticized for favoring the ruling socialists, declared Maduro the winner of last Sunday’s vote, saying on Monday he had won 51 percent to 46 percent for opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez. The body reaffirmed the same margin on Friday.

The election results were announced, sparking widespread allegations of fraud and protests. Security forces then cracked down on protests that the Maduro administration viewed as part of a US-backed coup attempt.

“There will be no forgiveness this time,” Maduro told supporters at a rally in Caracas, where he said about 2,000 people had been arrested for “crimes” during the protests. He promised “maximum punishment”.

Maduro supporters say they are defending democracy.

“We are here today to answer the president’s call… to defend democracy,” Alfredo Valera, president of Venezuela’s Fontur union, who joined the pro-government protest in Caracas, told state television.

Elsewhere, opposition supporters marched to demand justice, cheered by the presence of leader Maria Corina Machado, who emerged from hiding on Saturday to join protests on the streets of Caracas.

“Just like it took us a long time to win the election, now we have to go through each day, but we have never been as strong as today, never,” Machado told supporters in Caracas.

Supporters were delighted to see Machado out on the streets after the leader said in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal on Thursday that she was in hiding and feared for her life.

In addition to Caracas, protests also took place in other cities such as Valencia, Maracaibo and San Cristobal.

“I can’t deny that there was a little fear when I saw the security forces passing by,” said Maria Luzardo, 46, a street vendor in San Cristobal. “If (Machado) is brave enough to take to the streets despite the threats, then so are we. Venezuela is calling us.”

So far, at least 20 people have been killed in post-election protests, according to advocacy groups, including the US-based Human Rights Watch. About 1,200 others have been arrested in connection with the protests, according to the government.

During the week, several Venezuelans showed up outside police stations seeking news about detained relatives.

Organization of American States calls for peace in Venezuela ahead of planned protests.

“Today we call for no more political prisoners, no more tortured people, no more disappeared people, no more murdered people,” said the OAS, which this week called the election results unreliable.

Countries including the United States and Argentina have recognized Gonzalez as the winner of the election, with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken citing “clear evidence” on Thursday. Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama and Uruguay also concluded on Friday that Gonzalez received the most votes.

Other countries, including Russia, China and Cuba, have congratulated Maduro.