Venezuelan Opposition Leaders Ask Military to Prevent Maduro ‘Coup’

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado and presidential candidate Edmundo González Urrutia called on the military and police on Monday to prevent what they call a “coup d’état” by President Nicolás Maduro to stay in power.

In their statement, Machado and González Urrutia confirm the allegations of electoral fraud and that the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD, the opposition) won the presidential elections on July 28, and the successive “repression” of protests against the authorities’ declaration of Maduro’s victory has been questioned by a significant part of the international community.

“We call on the conscience of the military and police to stand with the people and their families. In view of this massive violation of human rights, the high command joins [Nicolás] “Maduro and his nefarious interests,” the document explains.

“You are also represented by those people who came to vote, your colleagues from the National Armed Forces, your families and friends whose will was expressed on July 28,” they add.

The opposition also says the military and police “can and must immediately put an end to these actions” as well as “the regime’s violence against the people, and respect and enforce the election results.”

In their statement, both political leaders begin by explaining that Venezuela and the world know that the opposition won an “overwhelming victory” in the July 28 elections.

“From the humblest citizen, the witness, the member of the polling station, the officer of the armed forces, the police to international organizations and governments, they know it. With the results in hand, the world has seen and recognized the triumph of democratic forces,” he explains.

The opposition made its contribution, he continues, by carrying out “the most enormous civil mobilization to ensure that the election victory was undeniable” and in conditions of peace.

“We got 67% of the votes, while Nicolás Maduro got 30%. This is an expression of the will of the people. We won in all the states of the country and almost all the municipalities. All citizens, including members of Plan Republica [ativação de militares para custodiar eleições e material eleitoral]are witnesses to this reality,” he explains.

However, “Maduro refuses to admit defeat” and “in the face of legitimate protests, he has launched a brutal offensive against democratic leaders, witnesses, poll workers and even ordinary citizens with the absurd aim of hiding the truth while trying to corner the victors.”

“We know that in all components of the National Armed Forces there is a decision not to repress citizens who peacefully demand their rights and victory,” they explain.

The document emphasizes that “Venezuelans are not enemies of the armed forces” and calls on the military to implement policies that “prevent the actions of groups organized by the Madurista leadership, a combination of military and police units and armed groups outside the state that beat, torture and kill under the protection of the evil force they represent,” they explain.

“Maduro has carried out a coup d’état that is contrary to the entire constitutional order and wants to make you his accomplices. You know that we have irrefutable evidence of victory. The Carter Center report has been devastated on the conditions and results of the elections (…) Maduro is trying to fabricate the results when the legal deadline for publishing the results has already expired,” they explain, insisting on the call not to repress the people, but to accompany them.