(Reuters) -Leaders across the Americas and beyond reacted to the Venezuelan electoral authority’s announcement just after midnight on Monday that President Nicolas Maduro had won a third term in office, despite multiple exit polls that pointed to an opposition win.
U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN
“We have serious concerns that the result announced does not reflect the will or the votes of the Venezuelan people.”
BRAZIL FOREIGN RELATIONS MINISTRY
“The Brazilian government hails the peaceful nature of yesterday’s election in Venezuela and is closely monitoring the counting process… It awaits the publication by the national electoral council (CNE) of data broken down by polling stations, an essential step towards transparency, credibility and legitimacy.”
CHILE PRESIDENT GABRIEL BORIC
“Maduro’s regime must understand that the results are hard to believe. The international community and especially the Venezuelan people, including the millions of Venezuelans in exile, demand total transparency… From Chile we will not recognize any result that is not verifiable.”
MEXICO PRESIDENT ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR
“We’re going to wait until they finish counting the votes… If the electoral authority confirms this trend, we will recognize the government elected by the people of Venezuela, because that is democracy.”
ECUADOR PRESIDENT DANIEL NOBOA
“Throughout the region, there are politicians trying to cling to power and trying to take peace away from our citizens. That is what we face, that is the danger of the dictatorship, and today we are witnessing how one more of them tries to take hope away from millions of Venezuelans.”
ARGENTINA PRESIDENT JAVIER MILEI
“Not even (Maduro) believes the electoral scam he is celebrating. Neither does the Argentine Republic.
“We do not recognize fraud, we call on the international community to unite to restore the rule of law in Venezuela, and we remind the Venezuelan people that the doors of our country are open to every man who chooses to live in freedom.”
EL SALVADOR PRESIDENT NAYIB BUKELE
“What we saw yesterday in Venezuela has no other name than fraud. An ‘election’ where the official result has no relation to reality. Something obvious to anyone.”
PANAMA PRESIDENT JOSE RAUL MULINO
“We are putting diplomatic relations on hold until a complete review of the voting records and of the voting computer system is carried out.”
EUROPEAN UNION FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF JOSEP BORRELL
“The people of Venezuela voted on the future of their country peacefully and in large numbers. Their will must be respected. Ensuring full transparency in the electoral process, including detailed counting of votes and access to voting records at polling stations, is vital.”
COLOMBIA FOREIGN MINISTER LUIS GILBERTO MURILLO
“After maintaining permanent contact with all political actors involved in the presidential elections … we consider it essential that the voices of all sectors be heard. It is important to clear any doubts about the results… We call for the total vote count, its verification and independent audit to be carried out as soon as possible.”
URUGUAY PRESIDENT LUIS LACALLE POU
“It was an open secret. They were going to ‘win’ regardless of the actual results. The process up to election day and counting was clearly flawed. You cannot recognize a triumph if you can’t trust the forms and mechanisms used to achieve it.”
RUSSIA PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN
“Russian-Venezuelan relations have the character of a strategic partnership. I am confident that your activities at the head of state will continue to contribute to their progressive development in all directions. I would like to confirm our readiness to continue our constructive joint work on topical issues on the bilateral and international agenda. Remember that you are always a welcome guest on Russian soil.”
CUBA PRESIDENT MIGUEL DIAZ-CANEL
“Nicolas Maduro, my brother, your victory, which is that of the Bolivarian and Chavista people, has cleanly and unequivocally defeated the pro-imperialist opposition. They also defeated the regional, interventionist and Monroist right. The people spoke and the Revolution won.”
PERU FOREIGN MINISTER JAVIER GONZALEZ-OLAECHEA
“I condemn completely all the irregularities with the intention of fraud committed by the Venezuelan government. Peru will not accept the violation of the popular will of the Venezuelan people.
“The Peruvian ambassador to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has been immediately recalled for consultations.”
GUATEMALA PRESIDENT BERNARDO AREVALO
“We receive the results announced by the CNE with many doubts. This is why electoral observation mission reports are essential, and today more than ever, must defend Venezuelans’ votes.”
COSTA RICA PRESIDENCY
“The Government of Costa Rica categorically rejects the proclamation of Nicolas Maduro as president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, which we consider to be fraudulent.”
HONDURAS PRESIDENT XIOMARA CASTRO
“Our special congratulations and Democratic, Socialist and Revolutionary greetings to President Nicolas Maduro and the brave people of Venezuela for their unobjectionable triumph, which reaffirms their sovereignty and the historical legacy of Commander Hugo Chavez.”
BOLIVIA PRESIDENT LUIS ARCE
“We have closely followed this democratic festival and we welcome the fact that the will of the Venezuelan people at the polls has been respected. We want to ratify our willingness to continue strengthening our ties of friendship, cooperation and solidarity with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.”
SPAIN FOREIGN MINISTER JOSE MANUEL ALBARES
“The democratic will of the Venezuelan people must be respected with the presentation of the minutes of all the polling stations to guarantee fully verifiable results.”
NICARAGUA PRESIDENT DANIEL ORTEGA
“Saluting the great victory… To you, Nicolas President, to (Maduro’s wife) Cilia, to the PSUV (United Socialist Party of Venezuela), to the youth, and all Venezuelan families, our tribute and greetings, in honor, glory and for more victories.”
(Reporting by Sarah Morland, Raul Cortes, Marco Aquino, Natlia Ramos and Natalia Siniawski; Editing by Bernadette Baum, Paul Simao and Rosalba O’Brien)
