Venezuelan Official Criticizes Election Irregularities

Juan Carlos Delpino, a member of Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE), has publicly denounced serious irregularities in the July 28 presidential elections, questioning the transparency and integrity of the results that declared Nicolás Maduro the winner. Delpino highlighted incidents of expulsion of opposition witnesses and significant delays in result transmission, which he attributed to a reported cyberattack, stating that only 58% of results were collected and processed. He expressed regret that the election results do not reflect the will of the Venezuelan people and instead fuel doubts both domestically and internationally. His criticisms come amid claims by Maduro's government of a significant electoral victory, which have been met with skepticism by opposition parties and foreign governments. Delpino's dissenting stance marks a prominent challenge to the ruling party's narrative, as the opposition claims its candidate, Edmundo González, won by a substantial margin. This situation underscores ongoing tensions and allegations of electoral manipulation in Venezuela's political landscape.