The government of US President Joe Biden on Monday accused Venezuela of “electoral manipulation” and “repression,” and said that the announcement that Nicolás Maduro had won a third term had stripped the election of “any credibility.”
The officials, who briefed reporters on the vote on condition of anonymity, did not announce new punitive measures but left the door open to additional sanctions, saying they would evaluate their sanctions policy in light of actions taken by the Maduro government.
“By engaging in election repression and manipulation, and by declaring a winner without detailed precinct-by-precinct voting results … Maduro’s representatives have stripped any credibility from the purported election results they announced,” a senior Biden administration official told reporters.
On Monday, Vedant Patel, deputy spokesman for the US State Department, reiterated that, although they “applaud the Venezuelan people” for their participation in the presidential elections, they have “serious concerns that this result does not reflect the will and votes” of the citizens.
“It is critical that every vote is counted fairly and transparently and that election officials share information with the opposition and independent observers without delay,” Patel said.
The US government spokesman avoided directly answering whether they recognized the results released by the CNE.
“I have no announcement to make in this regard. What we are asking for is the immediate publication of the detailed results of the surveys to ensure transparency and accountability. This is something we are seeking, as are other international and regional partners,” he added.
In response to the recent request by several members of the Organization of American States to convene an urgent meeting on the electoral events in Venezuela, the State Department assured that although they do not have a meeting to advance, “The OAS is a vital partner, especially with regard to our foreign policy in the Western Hemisphere, and we will continue to interact with them accordingly,” it stressed.
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