"Canary Islands with Venezuela"
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, August 17, 2024 - Hundreds of Venezuelans gathered this Saturday in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, responding to the call from the Venezuelan opposition to protest against Nicolás Maduro's proclamation as the winner of the July 28 presidential elections. The Venezuelan community, one of the largest in the Canary Islands, assembled in the central Plaza de España, where they displayed a large Venezuelan flag and chanted slogans in support of Edmundo González, the opposition candidate who, according to reports, won the election with 67% of the vote.
The protesters demanded that Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) release the voting records, which, according to the opposition, would prove González's victory. Among the most repeated chants was "Canarias con Venezuela" ("Canary Islands with Venezuela"), reflecting the solidarity of those present with the political situation in their homeland. The Venezuelan national anthem was sung, and a recorded message from opposition leader María Corina Machado was played, as she also participated in a protest in Caracas on the same day.
Ongoing Crisis in Venezuela
Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela's president, is currently facing a significant political crisis following the July 28, 2024, elections, in which he was declared the winner for a third term. The opposition, led by Edmundo González and María Corina Machado, has accused Maduro of electoral fraud, claiming that González actually won with 67% of the vote. The opposition has demanded that the CNE release the official voting records to prove the true outcome of the election.
In response to these allegations and the widespread protests both inside and outside Venezuela, Maduro has refused to acknowledge defeat, dismissing the opposition's claims. His government has accused the opposition of attempting to destabilize the country and has called on his supporters to take to the streets in defense of his victory. Protests against the government have been met with violent repression, resulting in at least 23 deaths and over 2,000 arrests across the country.
The international community has been closely monitoring the situation in Venezuela, with several countries demanding transparency in the electoral process and urging the CNE to publish the voting records. Despite growing internal and external pressure, Maduro has attempted to divert attention through controversial statements on social media and confrontations with international figures.
This political conflict has further exacerbated Venezuela's already dire economic and social conditions, leading millions of citizens to emigrate in search of better living conditions. The global protests organized by the Venezuelan diaspora aim not only to support the claim of González's victory but also to draw attention to the harsh realities faced by Venezuelans under Maduro's government. The opposition, led by Machado and González, has vowed to continue fighting until a political change is achieved, hoping that international pressure and mass mobilizations will lead to a transition that allows Venezuela to recover.
Image by Hannah Mones
