Venezuela’s Defence Minister Pledges ‘Absolute Loyalty’ to Maduro
-
Loading... - Willow Cook
- 07 Aug 2024
- 57 Views
- 0 Like
- 0 Comment
Venezuela’s Defence Minister, Vladimir Padrino, has reaffirmed the country's military's unwavering loyalty to President Nicolas Maduro following the recent presidential election. In a state television broadcast on Tuesday, flanked by top military and police officials, Padrino stated, "We ratify our absolute loyalty to citizen Nicolás Maduro Moros." He dismissed opposition efforts to disrupt the military's unity, labeling them as "fatuous and irrational calls."
The military's declaration came after opposition leaders Edmundo Gonzalez and Maria Corina Machado urged the armed forces to align with the people, a move interpreted by the government as an incitement to defection. This prompted a criminal investigation into the opposition figures. Machado, in an audio message posted on social media, vowed to continue the fight, saying, "Fear is not going to paralyze us, we are going to overcome it as we have done until now and we will not leave the streets."
Tensions remain high in Venezuela, with widespread doubts about the legitimacy of the election results. Many countries in the region have called for greater transparency regarding the July 28 vote. The opposition claims Maduro was defeated by a significant margin, asserting that Gonzalez received over 6 million votes compared to Maduro's 2.7 million. They have published copies of ballots from 30,000 voting machines online to support their claims.
In response, Attorney General Tarek Saab announced a criminal probe against Gonzalez and Machado, accusing them of falsely declaring a different winner than the one proclaimed by the National Electoral Council, the only body authorized to do so. Saab condemned the opposition's call for military and police officials to disobey the laws.
The Maduro government has been cracking down on opposition members and is resolute in maintaining its position amidst the ongoing unrest and calls for election transparency.
