Global Leaders Question Venezuela Election Results

Following Venezuela's recent general election, which declared President Nicolás Maduro the winner amid accusations of fraud and irregularities, global leaders expressed serious concerns about the legitimacy of the results. The National Electoral Council, seen as biased towards Maduro, reported a victory for him with 51% of the vote, while the opposition claimed their candidate, Edmundo González, actually received around 70%. Protests erupted across Venezuela in response to the alleged electoral fraud, with demonstrators clashing with police. Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland emphasized Canada’s support for Venezuelan democracy and urged for transparency in the electoral process, aligning with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's call for the fair counting of votes. Both leaders highlighted the need for independent verification of the election results, as the opposition rejected the official outcomes. The situation remains tense, with calls from Canadian political figures for the government to not recognize Maduro's re-election.