{"id":270749,"date":"2024-08-05T12:00:07","date_gmt":"2024-08-05T11:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=270749"},"modified":"2024-08-01T06:48:44","modified_gmt":"2024-08-01T05:48:44","slug":"venezuelans-re-elect-president-maduro-despite-u-s-organized-coup-attempt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2024\/08\/venezuelans-re-elect-president-maduro-despite-u-s-organized-coup-attempt\/","title":{"rendered":"Venezuelans Re-Elect President Maduro Despite U.S. Organized Coup Attempt"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

[Source: apnews.com]<\/p><\/div>\n

30 Jul 2024 <\/em>– Sanctions are a misnomer when it comes to Venezuela. Here, the U.S. isn\u2019t \u201cjust\u201d illegally punishing a nation-state to effect regime change by withholding necessary resources and key inputs that cause food shortages, grave illness, death and economic instability.<\/p>\n

In Venezuela, the United States is also committing racketeer-level crimes against its people for not handing over their sovereignty and oil to Washington\u2019s oligarchy on a silver platter.<\/p>\n

That is a serious charge. But the proof is in plain sight for anyone not brainwashed by The New York Times, Washington Post, CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, MSNBC, Facebook, Google, and the rest of our state-controlled corporate media, which has been infiltrated and corrupted by the CIA<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Venezuela is recognized as having the largest proven oil reserves in the world.<\/p>\n

So, when it comes to having their bulletproof electoral process maligned, electoral results contested, and its results ignored by the United States\u2014a country with an electoral process that is a farce in comparison since it is contested by both its major political parties\u2014the Venezuelan people were not perturbed and still unwaveringly voted their conscience.<\/p>\n

Essentially, Washington\u2019s smear campaign against President Maduro failed miserably as did their extremist puppet leader, Maria Corina Machado\u2019s alleged \u201cthreat of violence that will be unleashed with support from abroad\u201d after the election. This threat has President Maduro\u2019s main opponent Edmundo Gonzalez supposedly \u201cpreparing to flee the country\u201d to Hollywood, Florida, on Monday, July 29.<\/p>\n

Voters remember what it is like living under Washington\u2019s boot and they know the outstanding progress Venezuela has made under Presidents Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro.<\/p>\n

So, without much surprise, the people of Venezuela re-elected President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday, July 28, for his third term with 5,150,092 votes (51.2%). The official election results were announced shortly after 12:00 a.m. on July 29.<\/p>\n

Maduro\u2019s opponent, who was heavily supported by the U.S., Edmundo Gonz\u00e1lez, received 4,445,978 votes, or 44.2% of the total. Voter turnout was approximately 59% of the electorate of over 21.3 million people.<\/p>\n

It was clear going into the vote, from Maduro\u2019s massively attended political rallies, that he remained their favorite. Link to rally here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Pro-Maduro rally on eve of election [Source: venezuelaanalysis.com<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Coup Attempt<\/strong><\/h2>\n

At approximately 11:00 p.m. on the night of the election (July 28), the Venezuelan government alerted the world of foreign interventions against the electoral process, right to self-determination, and sovereignty of the homeland.<\/p>\n

Accordingly, \u201cthe infamous defunct and defeated Lima Group \u2013 that includes government officials from Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama and other countries, along with a group of ultra-right-wing political hitmen specialized in destabilizing governments in Latin America, such as Iv\u00e1n Duque, Mauricio M\u00e1cri, Andr\u00e9s Pastrana, Oscar Arias, Marco Rubio and Rick Scott \u2013 aimed to distort what had been a peaceful electoral process.\u201d<\/p>\n

No further information is known but election results were announced shortly thereafter.<\/p>\n

The president of the Consejo Nacional Electoral (CNE), Elvis Amoroso, called upon the attorney general to investigate the attacks on the electoral transmission system. Allegedly, local polling stations were attacked.<\/p>\n

\"A
Note the peaceful and orderly line waiting to enter Venezuela\u2019s Voting Center in Caracas at the Escuela Basica Padre Mendoza Sector Los Jardines Derecha Calle Cuatro Izquierda on July 28, 2024. [Source: Photo by Gloria Guillo]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Beyond Sanctions<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Both U.S. Democrats and Republicans are on the same side when it comes to: assassination<\/a> attempts against President Maduro; the double kidnapping, torture, and imprisonment of diplomat Alex Saab<\/a>; the piracy against vessels carrying its fuel, approximately 1.1 million barrels<\/a>; the robbery of its Citgo gas stations and refinery, valued between $32-40 billion<\/a>; the theft of its funds held by the New York Federal Reserve Bank (NY Fed), estimated to be between $3 and $5 billion<\/a> and also those of countries, like Puerto Rico doing business with Venezuela.<\/p>\n

Sanctions against trade partners create a chilling effect on countries and corporations that would like to do business with Venezuela but fear U.S. repercussions.<\/p>\n

Additionally, the U.S. has encouraged countries such as the U.K. to steal $1 billion<\/a> in Venezuela\u2019s gold. The U.S. claims Venezuela\u2019s assets are frozen when they are not. Instead, the \u201cfrozen\u201d funds are used in the repurchasing market by the NY Fed\u2019s \u201cdealer\u201d banks<\/a> for leveraged profits.<\/p>\n

These extensive and pervasive sanctions have decimated Venezuela\u2019s economy which is, fortunately, on the mend under President Maduro\u2019s leadership. Consider that in 2020, Venezuela obtained oil revenues in the order of US$743 million, which represented 99% less than in 2012, which was US$ 50 billion. However, this information is not widely known since armchair reporters and the mockingbird<\/a> media repeat Washington\u2019s lies without blinking and shadow-bans boots-on-the-ground investigative journalists.<\/p>\n

Airport Interview<\/strong><\/h2>\n

While at the Caracas airport awaiting my departure on July 29th, I interviewed a middle-class white woman approximately 50 years old. She was friendly, as she initially identified with me due to physical similarities and we were on a long and boring line and both open to killing time.<\/p>\n

Apparently, many middle-class white people flew into Venezuela to vote for the opposition candidate and were returning to their homes outside the country as the airport was very crowded with similar types. The woman stated that she \u201cfelt that the voting process was good but didn\u2019t like the outcome because her candidate didn\u2019t win.\u201d She unsolicitedly started to speak about how terrible the president was.<\/p>\n

I asked if she understood how U.S. sanctions make it very difficult for the government of Venezuela to serve the people as well as they would like. She said she \u201cdidn\u2019t know.\u201d I then asked if she \u201cdidn\u2019t know or didn\u2019t want to know.\u201d She then ignored me. So, I assume many Venezuelans practice willful ignorance for various reasons, just like Americans in the United States do to maintain their worldview and cognitive dissonance.<\/p>\n

As the comic Roseanne Barr said, \u201cYou can\u2019t wake those pretending to be asleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A
Close-up of sample ballot in Venezuela\u2019s Voting Center in Caracas @ Escuela Basica Padre Mendoza Sector Los Jardines Derecha Calle Cuatro Izquierda on July 28, 2024. Note that the reason President Maduro\u2019s face appears multiple times is because he is supported by 13 political factions. Other candidates also appear more than once. [Source: Photo by Gloria Guillo]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Beyond Lies\/High Stakes<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Not only does the U.S. want Venezuela\u2019s natural resources, but it also wants another geopolitical victory in Latin America.<\/p>\n

To achieve this objective, Washington has conducted a relentless media war that baselessly calls Venezuela\u2019s electoral process a sham, and at its biased best calls President Maduro \u201can authoritarian strongman\u201d and his prime right-wing competitor, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia \u201ca quiet, bird-loving grandfather.\u201d While there are 10 candidates, there are only two real contenders as shown in the photos taken from the Venezuela Analysis website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The claim of voter fraud is particularly hypocritical coming from a country whose 2020 election was considered stolen<\/a> by President Trump\u2019s supporters and many Americans. Without surprise, \u201cgrandpa\u201d Gonzalez is Washington\u2019s new choice puppet. He is rumored to have been a CIA asset in the 1970s. However, this has not been confirmed.<\/p>\n

It seems Washington gave up on Juan Guaido, the once self-proclaimed and U.S.-anointed \u201cinterim president\u201d who never ran in a presidential election and was previously unknown<\/a> to Venezuelans.<\/p>\n

Economic Recovery Program<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In August 2018, President Maduro presented the Economic Recovery Program to resolve the economic problems affecting the country. The four structural measures used to stabilize the economy:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Stimulated and diversified national production, which resulted in 60,000 new brands and achieved food sovereignty. Venezuela no longer imports 85% of its food; it now produces 96%.<\/li>\n
  2. Increased tax collection by 105% to guarantee social investments in family income and public services that did not entirely rely on oil revenues.<\/li>\n
  3. Fostered non-traditional exports.<\/li>\n
  4. Provided support for one million entrepreneurs.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    In the first quarter of 2024, the economy grew by 7%, giving it 12 consecutive quarters of growth. The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) considers Venezuela\u2019s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at 4.0% to lead the region. Venezuela has the lowest inflation rate for a month of June in 39 years at 1%, as compared to 96.7% in June 2018, and the most stable dollar price in 13 years \u2013 thanks to a new exchange market that promotes the stability of the bolivar. Overall, this means that the prices of products do not suffer large variations, which strengthens the population\u2019s income and consumption capacity.<\/p>\n

    \"A
    [Source: Courtesy of Gloria Guillo]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Bulletproof Electoral System<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Voting is handled by the independent National Electoral Council (CNE). Venezuela\u2019s presidential elections are a single-round process won by plurality: whichever candidate gets the most votes wins.<\/p>\n

    The CNE set up 16,025 polling stations across the country, which can have one or more voting booths. Voting is held on a Sunday to enable most Venezuelans to vote on their day off. The polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; however, in cases where there are still lines after 6:00 p.m., the polls are permitted to remain open later to accommodate voters in queues.<\/p>\n

    Venezuela\u2019s electoral system puts the U.S. to shame. Unlike in the United States, Venezuela\u2019s electoral system is automated, manual, and auditable.<\/p>\n

    Venezuelans go through a so-called \u201celectoral horseshoe<\/a>\u201d to cast their votes. First, voters run their fingerprints through a biometric ID machine. Once cleared, they move to the second step, where a touchscreen machine is unlocked. After picking their preferred candidate, the machine prints a paper backup confirming the choice that is to be deposited in a ballot box. The fourth and final station has voters sign and stamp their fingerprints on the electoral record. Please refer to the video link here<\/a> and the photos detailed below of the process.<\/p>\n

    Before President Maduro voted, a polling station member showed proof that the voting machine was at zero here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    \"\"
    Voting Center on July 28, 2024. [Source: Madelein Garcia on X]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \"A
    [Source: venezuelaanalysis.com<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \n
    \"\"
    [Source: Photo courtesy of Gloria Guillo]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \"A
    Venezuela Voting Center in Caracas. Site Identification at Escuela Basica Padre Mendoza Sector Los Jardines Derecha Calle Cuatro Izquierda on July 28, 2024. [Source: Photo by Gloria Guillo]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \"A
    Venezuela Voting Center in Caracas Identity Card Terminal at Escuela Basica Padre Mendoza Sector Los Jardines Derecha Calle Cuatro Izquierda on July 28, 2024. [Source: Photo by Gloria Guillo]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \"A
    Venezuela Voting Center in Caracas at Escuela Basica Padre Mendoza Sector Los Jardines Derecha Calle Cuatro Izquierda on July 28, 2024. [Source: Photo by Gloria Guillo]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n
    \n
    \"\"
    Venezuela Voting Center in Caracas Fingerprinting and Signature Log at Escuela Basica Padre Mendoza Sector Los Jardines Derecha Calle Cuatro Izquierda on July 28, 2024. [Source: Photo by Gloria Guillo]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \"\"
    Venezuela Voting Center in Caracas. Biometric Fingerprint Scan Unlocks Touchscreen at Escuela Basica Padre Mendoza Sector Los Jardines Derecha Calle Cuatro Izquierda on July 28, 2024. [Source: Photo by Gloria Guillo]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \"A
    Venezuela Voting Center in Caracas. Electronic Voting Machine Touchscreen in Locked Position at Escuela Basica Padre Mendoza Sector Los Jardines Derecha Calle Cuatro Izquierda on July 28, 2024. [Source: Photo by Gloria Guillo]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \"A
    Venezuela Voting Center in Caracas. Ballot Box for Paper Backup at Escuela Basica Padre Mendoza Sector Los Jardines Derecha Calle Cuatro Izquierda on July 28, 2024. [Source: Photo by Gloria Guillo]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \"A
    Venezuela Voting Center in Caracas. Fingerprinting and Signature Log for Voters with Special Needs and their escorts at Escuela Basica Padre Mendoza Sector Los Jardines Derecha Calle Cuatro Izquierda on July 28, 2024. [Source: Photo by Gloria Guillo]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n

    As an added safeguard, Venezuela\u2019s machines confirm that the voter selected their desired candidate by showing them again in the touchscreen and requiring the voter to confirm their selection with a \u201cyes or no\u201d answer. A \u201cno\u201d answer permits the voter to correct their electronic ballot.<\/p>\n

    Venezuela\u2019s electronic voting machines run on open-source code and are not connected to the internet. Participating political parties monitor all processes through a series of 16 real-time audits that occur before, during, and after election day. They verify that all components, from the voting software to data transmission, are working properly. Fifty-four percent of voting machines are randomly chosen for an audit to compare the electronic totals with the paper tallies. The total number of votes must match.<\/p>\n

    All participating organizations must enter a unique, partially encrypted key to validate the results. In addition, they sign off on the final tally, which must match the results published on the CNE website. The tallies are distributed to witnesses for each political faction after all voting is over.<\/p>\n

    In contrast, in Brooklyn, New York, where I am registered to vote, I do not need to present any identification. The poll worker merely compares my signature with the one that is on file. The machines do not confirm my choice of candidate but only acknowledge that my vote was cast. There are no paper tallies or receipts, the machines connect to the internet and run on secret proprietary software.<\/p>\n

    \n
    \"\"
    [Source: venezuelaanalysis.com<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \"\"
    [Source: venezuelaanalysis.com<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n
    \n
    \"A
    [Source: venezuelaanalysis.com<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \"A
    [Source: venezuelaanalysis.com<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n

    Voter Requirements\/Demographics<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Venezuelans must register to vote and be at least eighteen years old to cast a ballot. Voting is not mandatory but optional. Venezuela permits voting outside the country. According to the CNE\u2019s registry published in early July, there were 21,392,464 people eligible to vote on July 28<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    However, given recent migration, the actual total is expected to be 3-4 million below that. In addition, because of a convoluted registration process coupled with Western countries that do not recognize the Venezuelan government (i.e., there are no diplomatic relations or functional embassies) only 69,000 Venezuelans abroad are eligible to participate.<\/p>\n

    Election Observers<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The elections also count on several observation missions, including teams from the Latin American Council of Electoral Experts and the Carter Center, the African Union, and the Latin American Council of Electoral Experts (CEELA), as well as a United Nations expert panel that will produce a report for the organization\u2019s Secretary General.<\/p>\n

    According to the United States-based National Lawyers Guild<\/a> electoral observers, there were more than 910 electoral observers from 95 countries on the ground, of which this United States citizen and author is one. Electoral accompaniment teams visit voting centers on election day and witness the audit processes. There were more than 1,300 accredited journalists.<\/p>\n

    \n
    \"\"
    Venezuela Voting Center in Caracas at Escuela Basica Padre Mendoza Sector Los Jardines Derecha Calle Cuatro Izquierda on July 28, 2024. [Source: Photo of and by Gloria Guillo]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \"A
    [Source: Photo by Gloria Guillo]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n
    \n