Venezuelans Protest Disputed Election Results

Recent presidential election results in Venezuela have sparked widespread protests among Venezuelan expatriates in cities like New York and Chicago, who allege that the results favoring President Nicolás Maduro are fraudulent. Maduro claims to have won with 51.2% of the vote, while opposition leader Edmundo González is said to have received 44.2%, figures widely disputed by international observers and Venezuelan opposition leaders. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has criticized the election process as 'deeply flawed' and not reflective of the will of the Venezuelan people, echoing sentiments expressed by leaders from countries like Peru and Chile. Protests in Venezuela have also been met with government crackdowns, with reports of thousands arrested during demonstrations. Amid these tensions, Maduro's supporters have staged counter-protests, claiming the opposition's actions are part of a U.S.-backed coup attempt. The situation has led to a significant increase in Venezuelan immigration, as many flee the ongoing political and economic crisis in their homeland.