Washington [US], August 4: President Nicolas Maduro said about 2,000 people have been arrested in protests over the election results in recent days. As of August 3, at least 20 people have been killed in post-election protests in Venezuela.
According to Reuters, a group of supporters of Mr. Maduro also took to the streets to protest. They said they were defending democracy. "Today we are here to answer the president's call to defend democracy," said Alfredo Valera, president of Venezuela's Fontur union, who joined the pro-government protest in the capital Caracas.
Venezuela's National Electoral Commission on August 2 reaffirmed the election result of Mr. Maduro winning with 51.2% of the vote compared to 46% for opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia.
However, opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said election records showed Mr Gonzalez won with twice as many votes as Mr Maduro. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a statement saying opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia had won the most votes in Venezuela's presidential election.
"There will be no forgiveness this time," Maduro told supporters at a rally in Caracas, Venezuela, pledging maximum punishment for those arrested, Reuters reported.
In addition to Caracas, protests also took place in other cities such as Valencia, Maracaibo and San Cristobal.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
