Opposition leader Edmundo González received a boost from a section of the United States Congress yesterday, Thursday. A group of Republican senators signed a resolution recognizing González Urrutia as the president-elect of Venezuela.
Congressmen Marco Rubio, Dick Durbin, Rick Scott, Tim Kaine, Bill Cassidy and Michael Bennet presented the resolution that serves as a figure of support for a group of senators, but it does not mean that the United States Government has declared that decision as official.. However, the White House, although it has not officially recognized Gonzalez as president-electyes, he has said that his position is that he believes it is clear that he was the one who won the elections against Nicolás Maduro.
For example, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that “Given the overwhelming evidence, it is clear to the United States and, more importantly, to the Venezuelan people that Edmundo González Urrutia won the majority of the votes in the presidential elections in Venezuela on July 28.”
Even Blinken applauded the opposition’s achievements, “we congratulate Edmundo González Urrutia for the success of his campaign. “Now is the time for Venezuelan parties to begin discussions on a respectful and peaceful transition, in accordance with Venezuelan electoral law and the wishes of the Venezuelan people. We fully support the process of restoring democratic norms in Venezuela and stand ready to explore ways to strengthen it together with our international partners.”
Lame statements
According to the U.S. International Lawyers’ Center, an official signature is still missing. “At this moment, the resolution recognizing Edmundo González is already in the Senate, but the most important thing is that it is the Government of President Joe Biden that signs a document declaring that he is recognized as President.”
Legal experts say that until that happens, “The US will only be seen as another country that rejects Nicolás Maduro, but not one that fully recognizes González”.
The arguments
Both Congressmen and the White House have cited two reasons for their position. First, the results from Edison Research, in which the exit poll gave González the victory. According to the CNE, in the official result, Maduro obtained 51.2% of the votes.compared to 44.2% for opposition leader Gonzalez. But Edison Research found that 65% voted for Gonzalez and only 31% for Maduro.
As a second point, the Carter Center, which was the only international observer recognized by the United States, published its report in which it says that “the official result delivered by Venezuela was doubtful.”
For this reason, the senators argued that it was evident that González should be recognized as President. “The Venezuelan people’s desire for freedom and democracy is admirable. The recent electoral process, which the narco-dictator Maduro fraudulently claims to have won, has been a testament to the tenacity of the Venezuelan spirit. The United States, along with democracies around the world, cannot legitimize Maduro or be complicit by standing aside an illegitimate narco-regime. The time has come for us to recognize the duly democratically elected president of Venezuela.”
Senator Durbin, another signer, stressed that, “This resolution demonstrates across the political spectrum of the United States Senate what we and most of the democratic world recognize as obvious: that Edmundo González won Sunday’s election by a fair and resounding margin. The meticulously compiled and transparent publication of more than 80 percent of all Venezuelan election results by credible election observers also confirms this. The Venezuelan people have suffered greatly in recent years and voted accordingly for change. I urge that the choice of Venezuelan voters be respected and that a peaceful and democratic transfer of power be guaranteed.”
