Maria Corina Machado, a prominent Venezuelan opposition leader, asserted that peaceful demonstrations and sustained international pressure continue to hold the potential to dethrone President Nicolas Maduro. This declaration was made during an interview on Tuesday as the ongoing dispute surrounding the contentious July 28 election persisted into its second month, revealing a constricted path for the opposition to reclaim authority.

The contention over the electoral results has incited widespread international calls for transparency regarding the total vote counts, alongside deadly protests and investigations initiated by the country’s prosecutor against opposition members and journalists. Machado articulated a vision of a “robust strategy” aimed at asserting the opposition’s rightful claim to victory, although she refrained from divulging specific tactics. She highlighted her collaboration with former opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, emphasizing the necessity of coordination between internal and external forces to effectuate change. “What does Maduro have left today? A significantly diminished group of senior military officers, control over the judiciary, and weapons … he is instigating fear,” she stated, participating in the dialogue via video call.

According to Venezuela’s electoral authority and the Supreme Court, Maduro emerged as the victor with just over half the votes cast. Contrarily, data gleaned from approximately 80% of the ballot boxes and posted on an opposition platform reflects a decisive triumph for Gonzalez, who purportedly received 67% of voter support. Many Western nations, alongside nearly all democracies in the Americas and an expert panel from the United Nations, have demanded the release of comprehensive vote tallies, alleging widespread fraud by the ruling government. The electoral body has yet to publish detailed results, claiming that a cyber intrusion on election day disrupted its systems.

In response to a question regarding the possibility of Maduro maintaining his power through military dominance, Machado firmly stated, “No, absolutely not.” Shortly after her interview, she utilized social media to announce the alleged kidnapping of Perkins Rocha, her legal advisor and personal confidant, by Maduro’s regime. “We are advancing for Perkins, for all individuals imprisoned and persecuted, and for all of Venezuela,” Machado remarked on the platform X.

Coinciding with her interview, Gonzalez opted not to comply with a second summons to appear before the attorney general regarding the opposition website. A warrant for his arrest may be issued if he neglects a third summons. Venezuelans are reportedly seething with anger and anguish due to widespread repression and the nation’s dire economic conditions, as articulated by Machado. When questioned about the risk of violence arising from public discontent, she expressed confidence in the populace’s ability to manage their grievances responsibly. She conveyed that a robust strategy is being pursued on multiple fronts, focusing on fostering national public opinion, aligning the populace with their objectives, and protecting one another while denouncing the regime’s abuses.

In the fallout of the election, protests have resulted in a tragic toll of at least 27 fatalities and approximately 2,400 arrests. Both the governing party and the opposition have encouraged their supporters to participate in demonstrations on the forthcoming Wednesday, marking one month since the election. Meanwhile, ruling party officials have accused the opposition of inciting violence, and Attorney General Tarek Saab has initiated criminal inquiries against Machado, Gonzalez, and the opposition website this month. Detentions of opposition members and protesters have persisted, while the national assembly, dominated by the ruling party, has passed legislation imposing rigorous regulations on non-governmental organizations, alongside allegations of coerced resignations of state employees expressing pro-opposition sentiments.

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