Electoral crisis in Venezuela: Carter Center denounces fraud and lack of transparency.

The recent electoral process in Venezuela, marked by serious doubts about its legitimacy, has drawn condemnation from the Carter Center, which described the elections as lacking transparency and not democratic. In a statement released on Tuesday night, the international organization, which sent an electoral observation mission to Venezuela, emphasized that it could not verify the results proclaimed by the National Electoral Council (CNE), raising serious questions about the integrity of the process. During its mission, the Carter Center deployed 17 experts in various cities across the country, beginning its work at the end of June. However, despite the CNE's invitation to observe the elections following a prior agreement, the Center determined that the electoral process did not meet international standards of integrity. In particular, they criticized the lack of disaggregation of results by polling station, which constitutes a violation of fundamental electoral principles. The CNE, which has faced criticism for its bias, proclaimed Nicolás Maduro's victory amid accusations of fraud and restrictions on the opposition and the media. The Carter Center's statement adds to the voices of discontent that have emerged in the streets, where working-class neighborhoods have taken the lead in protests, expressing their rejection of what they consider an unprecedented electoral fraud. President Nicolás Maduro, for his part, has responded to the criticisms with disdain, reaffirming his status as the winner and challenging the opposition, led by María Corina Machado, to confront him directly. Accompanied by a crowd of supporters, Maduro used his speech to discredit the opposition while showing an apparent willingness to mobilize police and military forces in response to the demonstrations that have erupted in various cities across the country. The protests, which have resulted in a tragic toll of at least 11 dead and 177 detained in several locations, have been fueled by the lack of access to electoral information and the CNE's refusal to disclose the voting records. Following Machado's protest, she has insisted that, according to 84% of the voting records in the hands of the opposition, the true winner was Edmundo González Urrutia, who, they claim, received 70% of the votes. The opposition has called into question Maduro's legitimacy, while the international community closely watches the unfolding events. The Organization of American States (OAS) has urged Maduro to acknowledge his defeat or to call for new elections, while the European Union has demanded greater openness and transparency in the electoral process, which has thus far been marked by the opacity of the CNE. Amid this political crisis, the figure of Edmundo González, a little-known former diplomat who has emerged as an opposition candidate, has gained prominence. Machado, who could not participate in the elections due to her political disqualification, has backed González in his attempt to challenge Maduro's grip on power. However, Maduro did not hold back in his defense, and in an attempt to delegitimize his rival, he accused him of being a CIA agent, a common tactic in his rhetoric to discredit the opposition. This rhetoric is set against a backdrop of increasing political and social polarization in the country, which appears to be on the brink of an explosion. The situation is further complicated by the CNE's website crash, which has left citizens without access to results and records for days, increasing suspicions of manipulation and fraud. Meanwhile, opposition leaders have promised to continue pressing for transparency and respect for the will of the people, in a scenario where the struggle for democracy has become increasingly intense. With each passing day, tension in the streets of Venezuela multiplies, and the political future of the country hangs by a thread. The international community has been attentive to the opposition's calls and the government's response, making the outcome of this crisis potentially significant not only for Venezuela but also for the stability of the region.