EU urges Venezuela to release election results amid crisis

The European Union's foreign affairs chief, Josep Borrell, expressed deep concern over the escalating political crisis in Venezuela following the disputed presidential election held on July 28. The Venezuelan Supreme Court confirmed the victory of incumbent President Nicolás Maduro, despite widespread allegations of electoral fraud from several countries, including the United States and several Latin American nations, who recognized opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia as the legitimate winner. Borrell urged the Venezuelan election authority to publish and independently verify the official voting records, emphasizing the reliability of the opposition's reviewed voting documents. Borrell highlighted that the opposition's published results indicated that González Urrutia won by a significant margin, calling for respect for the rights of Venezuelans to peacefully protest and express their political views without fear of retaliation. He condemned the excessive use of force by authorities and the ongoing repression of dissent, which has led to numerous detentions and fatalities since the election. A United Nations report earlier this month revealed that at least 1,260 individuals had been detained and 23 killed amid state repression following the election. Maduro's government has been accused of harshly punishing dissent, with the president himself stating that 2,000 people had been detained, asserting that there would be no pardons for those involved in opposition activities. The situation in Venezuela remains tense, with calls for accountability and transparency in the electoral process, as well as demands for the release of political prisoners and an end to the harassment of civil society and opposition members.