Venezuelan President Maduro Sworn In Despite Global Condemnation, Canada Enforces New Sanctions
Canada Imposes New Sanctions as Venezuelan President Maduro Sworn In
Canada has imposed new sanctions against 14 Venezuelan officials as President Nicolás Maduro was sworn in Friday to serve a third six-year term, extending his increasingly repressive rule until 2031.
Maduro's Controversial Inauguration
Venezuela's legislative palace, where he was sworn in and delivered a fiery speech, was heavily guarded by police, military, and intelligence officers. Crowds of people, many sporting pro-Maduro T-shirts, gathered in adjacent streets and a nearby plaza.
Maduro accused the opposition of trying to turn his inauguration into a "world war," and said the faction's failure to stop the inauguration was "a great Venezuelan victory." He accused external powers of "attacking" Venezuela, specifically the U.S. government, and promised to guarantee "peace and national sovereignty."
Opposition's Claims
The opposition collected tally sheets from more than 80% of electronic voting machines following the July 28 election, posted the tallies online, and said they show opposition candidate Edmundo González won twice as many votes as Maduro. The U.S.-based Carter Center, which observed the election on the government's invitation, declared the opposition-published tallies legitimate.
Other election experts that the government allowed to witness the vote said polling records posted online by the opposition appear to exhibit all of the original security features.
Canada, U.S., EU Announce Sanctions
On Friday, Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly announced new sanctions against Venezuelan officials. They target 14 current and former senior officials of the Venezuelan government, "who have engaged in activities that have directly or indirectly supported human rights violations in Venezuela," according to a news release.
International Response
The European Union also imposed sanctions on 15 top Venezuelan officials who had a role in the country's 2024 election, including the president and vice president of Venezuela's Supreme Court, the electoral agency, and others. The U.S. Treasury Department also slapped a new round of sanctions on Venezuelan officials, including the president of Venezuela's state oil company, Maduro's transportation minister, and state-owned airline, among others.
Protests and International Outrage
The dispute over the election results prompted international outrage and nationwide protests. The government responded with full force, arresting more than 2,000 demonstrators and encouraging Venezuelans to report anyone they suspect to be a ruling-party adversary. More than 20 people were killed during the unrest, and many protesters reported being tortured in custody.
Global Condemnation
The brouhaha ahead of Maduro's inauguration added to the litany of allegations of electoral fraud and brutal repression to silence dissent. Electoral authorities loyal to the ruling party declared Maduro the winner hours after polls closed on July 28, but unlike in previous presidential elections, they did not provide detailed vote counts.
Conclusion
Despite protests and international condemnation, Nicolás Maduro was sworn in for a third term as President of Venezuela, extending his rule until 2031. The controversy surrounding his inauguration and the allegations of electoral fraud have sparked outrage and led to sanctions being imposed by Canada, the U.S., and the EU.
