On Wednesday, a senior U.S. general accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of undermining Venezuela’s democratic will following the disputed presidential election in July, describing it as a sign that democracy is under threat globally.
Venezuela’s electoral council declared Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, the winner of the July 28 election but has not released the complete vote counts. The opposition, however, published its own tallies showing a significant victory for its candidate.
Several Western democracies and international organizations, including a United Nations panel, have called for Venezuela to release the full results, with some accusing the socialist leader’s party of outright fraud. The U.S. government claims there is “overwhelming evidence” that opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez won the majority of votes.
“Democracy and its fundamental values are under attack worldwide, and we need look no further than Venezuela, where Nicolas Maduro continues to undermine the democratic will of the Venezuelan people,” stated Army General Laura Richardson, commander of the U.S. Southern Command.
Speaking at a military leaders’ meeting in Santiago, Chile, Richardson blamed Maduro for the exodus of millions of Venezuelans and discussed broader global threats to democracy, including disinformation campaigns aimed at “undermining the fabric of democratic societies.”
Maduro and his administration have dismissed international criticism, pointing to election controversies in the United States and Brazil as evidence of what they see as Western hypocrisy toward Venezuela.
Both the opposition and the ruling party have urged their supporters to attend rallies on Wednesday to mark the one-month anniversary of the election.
Chilean Defense Minister Maya Fernandez, the granddaughter of former socialist President Salvador Allende who was ousted in a 1970s coup, also spoke at the conference. She emphasized the importance of “respecting the self-determination and sovereignty of each country,” although she did not mention Venezuela directly. Chile’s leftist government has been critical of Venezuela, with President Gabriel Boric recently describing Maduro’s regime as “a dictatorship that falsifies elections.”
U.S. Air Force General C.Q. Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also addressed the gathering, emphasizing the importance of preserving democracy in the region. “This group is committed to upholding an international system that respects democracy and national sovereignty,” Brown said, without specifically mentioning Venezuela.
Venezuelan officials did not attend the event.
