At least 24 dead in protests against electoral fraud in Venezuela

Carolina Machado at the head of the protest against electoral fraud in Caracas Photo: Voice of America

At least 24 people have died in Venezuela in the framework of the protests unleashed in rejection of the official result of the presidential elections of July 28, in which the National Electoral Council (CNE) proclaimed President Nicolás Maduro as the winner, according to a report published by the NGO Provea.


"Provea records show 24 people who died between Sunday, July 28 and Monday, August 5 in events and protests related to the July 28 elections," the organization said in the report published on its website, a data that the Government did not confirm.

He pointed out that the Directorate of Strategic and Tactical Actions (DAET) of the Bolivarian National Police (PNB) is accused of at least two cases of "murders" of protesters, in addition to other victims at the hands of armed civilians.

"In at least nine of the recorded murders of protesters (...) groups of pro-government armed civilians, or collectives, are identified by eyewitnesses as possible perpetrators of the events," he added.

The NGO indicated that the participation of these groups in "open coordination with agents of the public force, in efforts to repress demonstrations, attacks on voting centers on election day and acts of threats and harassment against opposition people.

"The majority of registered protests have occurred in neighborhoods and popular areas of Caracas and other cities in the country," he added.

Given this situation, Provea warned of an escalation, in the coming days, of acts of retaliation and "exemplary punishments" against the inhabitants of these sectors or public administration workers.

Likewise, he said that he has already begun to receive complaints of acts of harassment, dismissals and deterioration in the work of people employed by State institutions.

"Denying people the human right to democracy, to electoral truth, and repressing anyone who demands these basic principles is a crime against human rights," Provea added.

On Monday, the NGO Foro Penal reported that at least 91 teenagers, of the total of 1.010 captured - which the Executive raises to 2.000 - have been detained in the Caribbean nation in the context of these demonstrations against the result announced in the elections of the 28th. of July, which grants victory to Maduro, unknown to the opposition and part of the international community.

While the CNE has not published the minutes certifying Maduro's victory, as indicated by legal regulations, the main anti-Chavista bloc disclosed "83,5%" of these papers, which show, according to the opposition, that its candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia won by a wide margin. EFE

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