West holds back on tough action against Venezuela’s Maduro

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STORY: :: July 29, 2024

More than two weeks since Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro claimed reelection victory, the country's opposition is trying to keep up the pressure, with opposition leader Maria Corina Machado calling for Venezuelans to take part in a mass global protest on Saturday.

But while the U.S. and other Western countries are calling for a full set of voting tally sheets to be released, they are showing little sign of swift, tough action over what many of them have condemned as voting fraud.

:: August 12, 2024

PATEL: “… the responsibility is on Maduro and the Venezuela electoral authorities to come clean on the election results.”

Both Maduro and opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez declared they won the July 28 vote.

Protests against Maduro following the vote left at least 23 people dead and about 2,400 arrested, according to U.N. figures.

The presidents of Brazil, Mexico and Colombia are coordinating action while calling for full access to voting records.

And a coalition including the U.S., Canada, Panama and others are holding talks among each other and with Venezuela's opposition, people familiar with the matter said.

Countries including China, Russia, Nicaragua and Cuba have recognized Maduro's victory.

A U.S. embassy official who was not authorized to speak publicly said no Western governments want to make the first move and instead prefer to (quote) "take it slowly."

:: July 31, 2024

The European Union has urged the release of voting records...

BORRELL: "...they should have been provided immediately."

An end to political prosecution and dialogue between the opponents but has not anticipated any action.

:: May 20, 2018

Three officials from different countries said they are being mindful of what happened after Maduro's 2018 reelection.

That vote was quickly condemned as a sham and led to the most severe sanctions yet on the OPEC nation.

An interim government led by the opposition was widely recognized overseas, but the effort ultimately evaporated.

The Biden administration has been keen not to complicate the way forward for the opposition as Venezuelans seek even small concessions from Maduro, a person familiar with Washington's thinking said.

Democratic U.S. officials have threatened sanctions, but so far have held off on new punitive measures.

Venezuela's foreign ministry and the U.S. Treasury Department did not reply to requests for comment.

A review by Venezuela's Supreme Court is likely to take time and may not be impartial given that it is packed by Maduro allies.

Machado said on Tuesday America and Europe had been sending strong signals that they will stand by the opposition as long as it was needed.

She said, "This needs to be fast, because obviously the regime wants to wear us out."

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