US Recognizes Edmundo González as Venezuela’s Elected President Amid Fraud Claims Against Maduro

The United States recognized Edmundo González Urrutia as the “elected president” of Venezuela on Tuesday. This recognition came months after Nicolás Maduro was declared the winner of the elections amid fraud allegations. Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, stated, “The Venezuelan people spoke on July 28 and made Edmundo González president elect.”

Venezuela’s electoral authority announced Maduro’s third six-year term (2025-2031) without detailing the vote count. Blinken emphasized that “democracy demands respect for the will of voters.” His comments followed discussions among foreign ministers about Venezuela’s post-election crisis during the G20 summit in Brazil.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil dismissed the U.S. recognition as “ridiculous,” echoing a popular saying. González Urrutia expressed deep gratitude for the recognition, stating it honors the desire for change among Venezuelans. He has been in exile in Spain since September after a month in hiding following a capture order in Venezuela.

Both González and opposition leader María Corina Machado claim to have evidence supporting their victory—the original election documents. The Carter Center presented these documents to the Organization of American States in Washington.

This is not the first time the U.S. has questioned Maduro’s election. In 2018, during Donald Trump’s first term, the U.S. did not recognize Maduro’s reelection, calling it fraudulent, and instead recognized Juan Guaidó as interim president.

Trump previously sought to overthrow Maduro through sanctions, including an oil and gas embargo, but Maduro remained in power. The Venezuelan Foreign Minister compared Tuesday’s announcement to past events, implying that Blinken is trying again to undermine Venezuela’s government.

The Biden administration has used a diplomatic approach with sanctions as leverage, but it is unclear what will happen when Trump takes office again in January 2025, especially with Marco Rubio named as future Secretary of State, who has openly criticized the Venezuelan government.

Information sourced from AFP.