On Saturday, the leaders of Brazil and Colombia once again called upon Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to publicly disclose the results of recent elections, following the Venezuelan Supreme Court’s endorsement of the government’s contentious assertion of victory in July’s electoral proceedings. In a joint statement issued by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Colombian President Gustavo Petro, they emphasized that the integrity of the electoral process can only be reinstated through the transparent release of detailed and verifiable voting data.

The two heads of state also expressed concern regarding the ongoing repression in Venezuela, where the government reports indicate that thousands have been imprisoned and dissent has been met with violent crackdowns. Their comments came a day after numerous Latin American nations and the United States formally rejected the validity of the high court’s certification of the election results. Observers were particularly focused on how Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Gustavo Petro, both known allies of President Maduro, would articulate their positions in light of the court’s ruling, especially as they have been instrumental in mediating discussions between the Venezuelan government and opposition factions.

President Maduro has claimed victory in the presidential election; however, the administration has not released the official tally sheets, which are deemed essential for verifying the electoral count in a country where independent replication of voting results is profoundly difficult. The main opposition coalition has accused the Maduro administration of election fraud.

Notably, opposition volunteers managed to gather records from approximately eighty percent of the thirty-thousand polling stations nationwide, revealing a significant victory for former opposition candidate Edmundo González, who is purported to have won by a margin exceeding two-to-one. In response, the Supreme Court has dismissed those tallies as fabrications.

While acknowledging the Supreme Court’s ruling, Presidents Lula and Petro reiterated their call for the timely release of the election tallies. Furthermore, they appealed to all parties involved in Venezuela to refrain from violence and oppression, particularly in light of reports that security forces have arrested over two thousand individuals amid unrest following the controversial electoral results. It is worth noting that while the leaders did not directly attribute the violence to Maduro’s government, the impact of such actions has instilled fear within a populace that has historically faced governmental crackdowns during periods of political turmoil.

In a relevant development, key opposition leader María Corina Machado has reportedly gone into hiding. The Maduro administration has announced its intention to compel González to provide formal testimony as part of an ongoing inquiry, alleging his involvement in actions aimed at inciting panic through challenges to the election outcomes.

Both President Lula and President Petro have faced criticism for their perceived accommodating stance towards Maduro’s regime. However, in recent months, following the electoral aftermath, their rhetoric has become more assertive. As neighboring countries to Venezuela, Brazil and Colombia continue to advocate for the facilitation of negotiations between the governance and opposition, with aims to establish pathways toward free and fair elections. The joint statement from Lula and Petro emphasized that lasting political normalization in Venezuela necessitates acknowledging that there is no viable alternative to peaceful negotiation and democratic collaboration.

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