Venezuelans across the country took to the streets on Monday to protest a disputed election, clashing with police as uncertainty swirls around the results amid allegations of election fraud.
At least six people died during the protests, according to non-governmental organization Foro Penal. In a post on social media, the group also said 132 people had been arrested as of Monday night.
CNN has not yet been able to verify the death toll and number of detained but has reached out to the Venezuelan police and Venezuelan Attorney General’s office.
The election on Sunday was the most consequential one in years, with Venezuela’s future on the line.
Many young opposition supporters said they would leave the country if authoritarian leader Nicolás Maduro was re-elected, pointing to the devastating collapse of the country’s economy and violent repression under his rule. But the opposition was also energized, presenting the ruling establishment its toughest challenge in 25 years.
Though Maduro had promised fair and free elections, the process has been marred with allegations of foul play – with opposition figures arrested, the opposition’s key leader banned from running, media outlets blocked and overseas Venezuelans largely unable to vote.
That’s why, even though Maduro was formally named the winner by the country’s electoral body – which is stacked by the president’s allies – the opposition has rejected the results and other Latin American leaders have refused to recognize his win.
Maduro has been in power since the 2013 death of his predecessor Hugo Chávez. If he takes office again, it will be his third consecutive six-year term and the continuation of “Chavismo,” the left-wing populist ideology named after the former leader.
On the other side is a unified opposition movement that overcame their divisions to form a coalition. Its energized campaign stoked hope among a disillusioned populace that was desperate for change, in a country in such dire economic straits that some 8 million Venezuelans have fled overseas.
The opposition candidate, former diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez, stepped into the role after the highly popular leader Maria Corina Machado was barred from running, following allegations she didn’t include some food vouchers on her asset declaration.
But many still see her as a driving force behind the opposition, which had promised to restore Venezuela’s democracy and rebuild its once impressive economy if it won.
