Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who is claiming victory in the presidential election, has assured the country's armed forces that he must “take on the role of commander-in-chief“ on January 10 - the day Nicolas Maduro is due to take office for a third term, Agence France-Presse reported, quoted by BTA.
“According to the Constitution, I must assume the role of commander-in-chief of the army on January 10“, said the 75-year-old former ambassador, who is an opposition candidate in the July 28 election.
The armed forces are essential to the power of President Maduro, who, according to the opposition, won the election through fraud not recognized by the international community. The army actively suppressed demonstrations after the announcement of Maduro's re-election for a third term, AFP recalls.
“Our national armed forces must be the guarantor of sovereignty and respect for the will of the people. "It is our duty to act with honor and dignity... We must put an end to the leadership that has violated the fundamental principles of the army," Gonzalez Urrutia added in a speech broadcast from Washington. He called for decisive action on January 10 to restore popular sovereignty.
Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado also supported protests to be held on the eve of Maduro's inauguration. "This day will go down in history as the day Venezuela said: 'Enough!' Freedom cannot be begged for, it must be won," Machado said.
She accused the election of fraud and warned that the country was increasingly repressive. Despite these warnings, the opposition has not held major protests for weeks, creating a sense of exhaustion after the repression and low voter turnout.
Nicolas Maduro, whose victory was confirmed by the Supreme Court on August 22, was declared the winner with 52% of the vote. However, his opponents claim that the real winner is González Urrutia, who they say received more than 67% of the vote, according to figures from opposition censors.
Protests and repression followed the election results, in which 28 people were killed, more than 2,000 were injured, and about 2,400 were arrested. Among them, at least three died in prison.
Gonzalez Urrutia is expected to meet with US President Joe Biden today.