SAEDNEWS: Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez has accused the Western-backed opposition of attempting a 'media coup', and condemned widespread rioting in the wake of President Nicolas Maduro’s election victory.
According to SAEDNEWS, Protests have ignited across Venezuela following the national electoral authority's announcement on Monday declaring incumbent President Nicolás Maduro the victor of the recent election.
His challenger, Edmundo Gonzalez, has vehemently disputed the results, claiming he was the rightful winner and accusing the government of orchestrating a fraudulent vote. Urging thousands of his supporters to take to the streets, Gonzalez's calls for action have reverberated throughout the nation, as reported by RT.
In a press conference on Tuesday, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino denounced the demonstrators, labeling their actions as "acts of sabotage" and targeting the destruction of government properties, including nearly a hundred electoral centers and offices of the National Electoral Council (CNE).
Padrino framed the unrest as part of a "preconceived plan" orchestrated by U.S.-backed political factions. He accused these groups of engaging in an "attempted media coup d'état," bolstered by social media campaigns and influenced by American imperialism and its domestic and international allies. "What we are witnessing is fascism at its peak, supported by an international structure pouring hundreds of millions into discrediting the Venezuelan people's peaceful electoral demonstration," Padrino asserted.
While vowing to suppress any coup attempts, Padrino also called for constructive dialogue among political factions, urging adherence to Venezuelan law and a commitment to the "path of democracy." He cautioned that history has consistently shown that "violence leads to no positive outcome."
The CNE reported on Sunday that with 80% of votes counted, Maduro secured over 51% of the ballots compared to Gonzalez's 44%. All other opposition candidates had previously withdrawn in support of Gonzalez.
Upon being declared the winner at a CNE event, Maduro dismissed the opposition's claims of fraud, noting their historical tendency to "cry foul" at every election. Having secured a third consecutive six-year term after first taking office in 2013 following Hugo Chavez's death, Maduro proclaimed that his re-election would usher in peace and stability for Venezuela.
