Venezuela opposition calls for global protests

The opposition in Venezuela has called for global demonstrations on August 17 in support of its claimed victory over President Nicolas Maduro in July's presidential ballot.

Maduro — who has held the office since 2013 — was declared the winner by the National Electoral Council (CNE), despite exit polls showing the election going in favor of the joint opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia.

On Sunday, opposition leader Maria Corina Machado posted a video on social media platform X urging people to join the protest for "truth."

"This message is for you, who do not recognize yourself in today's Venezuela, who are tired of having your family separated, who voted and want what you decided on July 28 to be respected. See you next Saturday the 17th at the Great World Protest for the TRUTH," she wrote.

Machado was replaced by Gonzalez Urrutia for the vote after she was banned from contesting in the elections.

Both leaders have gone into hiding since last week, with Maduro threatening to lock them up.

"Defending the truth is not a crime. A crime is not complying with the popular will expressed on July 28. Let us continue together, defending the truth and the popular will," Gonzalez Urrutia said on X.

Election authorities handed the vote to Maduro in the July 28 elections with 52%, but have not yet released a detailed tally of the results.

Meanwhile, the opposition claims to have tally sheets showing it won.

On Saturday, Venezuela's Supreme Court — which is widely seen to be loyal to Maduro's government —  said that its ruling on the presidential election will be  "final."

The court "is continuing the assessment begun on August 5, 2024, with a view to producing the final ruling... Its decisions are final and binding," the body's president Carylsia Rodriguez said.

AFP contributed to this report.

Edited by: John Silk