Venezuela Elections: Nicolas Maduro, Other Candidate Pledge to Accept Election Results, Except for Opposition Candidate Edmundo Gonzalez

The Venezuela elections are about to happen next month, and eight of the 10 candidates vying to be president have all signed an agreement binding them to respect the results of the race. Nicolas Maduro was one of the signatories. However, one notable exception is the opposition's main candidate Edmundo Gonzalez who is leading the dictator in the polls. Maduro is known for cheating his way to victory as his numbers remain dismal.

Venezuela's electoral body was behind the pledge, but many in Venezuela found the declaration dubious as Maduro has repeatedly been accused of cheating, and the declaration could cement his victory if he wins in questionable ways.

"Now, it is the document of the electoral arbiter. Whatever the electoral arbiter says, amen," the Venezuelan strongman said after the signing ceremony. "I call on all Venezuelans to support this document and to respect the electoral arbiter, the National Electoral Council, and that its word be sacred."

The Associated Press noted that the electoral body that oversees the election has already been stacked with allies of the ruling party. Any challenge may also be shut down as Maduro has also packed the Supreme Court with justices allied to him. These same Supreme Court justices upheld the disqualification of united opposition candidate Maria Corina Machado, not allowing her to run.

Gonzalez himself shot back, saying that any "agreement can never be imposed unilaterally" and "must emerge from a respectful dialogue between the parties."

He also pointed out that the Venezuelan government had already violated the agreement it had with the opposition when it rescinded g an invitation to the European Union to send a mission of electoral observers and increasing "the persecution against leaders and supporters of our campaign."

Venezuela Opposition Says Only Massive Electoral Fraud Can Stop Edmundo Gonzalez from Winning

Meanwhile, the other members of the Venezuelan opposition are sounding the alarm as Maduro ramps up his repression and may be poised to win another election where he is polling far behind his opposition opponent.

"This is anything but a conventional election," Maria Corina Machado told the Financial Times. She was replaced by Gonzalez after the Maduro-allied Supreme Court upheld her ban. "Many Venezuelans fully understand what this opportunity represents: something far bigger than the election itself."

If opinion polls are to be believed, Maduro and his United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) may be losing big as they trail far behind. Because of this, Machado stated in her Financial Times interview, "If all the votes are counted, we will win by a landslide. The only way that won't happen is if there is a monumental fraud."

Venezuela Elections Facing Many Obstacles

Venezuela's stunt in disinviting the EU to observe its election has now thrown the fairness of the race into question, especially with the Supreme Court upholding Machado's disqualification and breaking the government's promise to the US to allow banned opposition candidates to run.

According to Americas Quarterly, to make matters worse, Colombia's Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo announced that they would not be sending observers, while Brazil has announced it will not also send a mission to observe the election. The UN and the Carter Center are still invited but are still considering their responses to Venezuela's invitations after the EU was kicked out.

Venezuela's government is also looking into blocking ballot access and impeding voter registration for Venezuelans who are living abroad. Many have since fled the country because of the persecution from the Maduro regime.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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