Venezuelans rally worldwide to demand democracy

Mass demonstrations have taken place in several capitals around the world to demand democracy in Venezuela and the recognition of Edmundo González Urrutia as president-elect.

That’s something the United States, the Spanish Congress and Senate and the European Parliament have already done, refusing to recognise long-time president Nicolás Maduro’s election win in July.

The global protest movement comes after in response to a call by the main opposition leader, María Corina Machado, to put pressure on the Maduro government, despite widespread accusations of electoral fraud.

One of the main demonstrations took place in the Spanish capital Madrid, which is home to around 70,000 Venezuelans.

Many came to Puerta del Sol, in the heart of the city, to call for democracy and an end to repression and violence. Among those present were many exiled opposition leaders.

‘A manhunt’.

The former mayor of Caracas, Antonio Ledezma, was among the first opposition leaders to arrive and assured the press gathered that, “the important thing is to think about what each Venezuelan can do wherever they are to resist the onslaught of the dictatorship that continues to carry out a manhunt.”

Families of political prisoners also attended, such as the son of María Corina Machado’s lawyer, Perkins Rocha.

In a statement given to the Colombian cable TV news channel NTN24, Santiago Rocha said that “in Venezuela there are recurring arrests, there are more than 1,800 political prisoners, not just my father.”

Shouting “se ve se siente, Edmundo presidente”, thousands of people thronged Puerta del Sol with pro-democracy banners and Venezuelan flags.

The official proclamation of the protest said the aim is, “to commemorate and defend a unique deed in our history.”

“Today, two months ago, we Venezuelans did what no one thought possible: with the overwhelming triumph of Edmundo González, we defeated a tyranny at the ballot box, with its own rules. That victory was not built in a day. We overcame every obstacle for many months and had a first great achievement.”

“On 22 October we held the primaries proposed by the Unitary Platform. On that day we voted, inside and outside the country, in a clean and transparent process, organised by the united political parties and civil society, where the CNE could not get its hand in. From then on, Venezuelans united around the vision of our leader María Corina Machado and we committed together to go all the way to liberate Venezuela,” he continues.

Although the main demonstrations have taken place in Madrid and the South American capitals, there have been protests all over the world, including in countries like Japan and in the heart of Europe, Brussels.