Sawt Falasteen - Venezuela opposition calls mass protests over disputed election

The oil-rich Latin American nation was plunged into political crisis after Maduro was announced the victor of Sunday's election -- a result that defied pre-election polls and has drawn global criticism.

"We must remain firm, organized and mobilized with the pride of having achieved a historic victory on July 28, and the awareness that to claim victory we will also go all the way," Machado said on social media.

Earlier Thursday, she wrote in the Wall Street Journal that she was in hiding and "fearing for my life" after Maduro's contested victory, which led to hundreds of arrests following deadly protests this week.

Machado reiterated her claim that opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia was the rightful winner, saying he won "67 percent to 30 percent" based on tallies obtained from most of the nation's polling stations.

The government-aligned National Electoral Council declared that Maduro won with 51 percent of the vote. Maduro has said he has evidence of his victory and was "ready to present 100 percent of the records."

"You have blood on your hands," Maduro said Wednesday, referring to Gonzalez Urrutia and Machado. "They should be behind bars."

Machado -- who was barred from running in the election by institutions loyal to Maduro -- said most opposition figures were now in hiding.

"I could be captured as I write these words," Machado wrote, calling for "those who reject authoritarianism and support democracy to join the Venezuelan people in our noble cause."

At least 20 people have died in protests that erupted after the election, according to Machado, while more than 1,000 have been jailed.

Venezuela's supreme court has summoned all presidential candidates to a hearing on Friday afternoon following Maduro's request that it initiate a process to investigate and certify the election result.

- Diplomatic row -

After days of anxiety that left streets largely deserted, normal life has begun to resume in the capital Caracas, with shops opening and public transport operating.

But regional spats were widening, with Venezuela withdrawing diplomats from eight critical Latin American countries and asking envoys from those nations to leave its territory.

Argentine President Javier Milei said his country's diplomatic staff left Venezuela on Thursday and thanked Brazil for taking custody of its embassy.

Six Venezuelan opposition figures are currently under protection at the Argentine embassy.

Brazil's foreign ministry announced it was also taking over representation of Peru in Venezuela.

Peru recognized Gonzalez Urrutia as Venezuela's legitimate president on Tuesday, prompting Caracas to sever diplomatic ties.

The United States and the European Union have demanded Venezuelan authorities release detailed voting data, with top US diplomat Antony Blinken saying there was "overwhelming evidence" that Gonzalez Urrutia won the election.

In a joint statement, the governments of Brazil, Colombia and Mexico urged an "impartial verification" of the result, also calling for Caracas to publish voting data broken down by polling stations.

- 'Bloodbath' -

Sunday's elections were held in the shadow of Maduro's warnings of a "bloodbath" if he were to lose, and amid widespread fear the vote would be rigged.

Attorney General Tarek William Saab said more than 1,000 people were arrested in protests that erupted on Monday and Tuesday in the wake of the election.

He also said one military officer was killed and 77 officials were injured.

Maduro has led the oil-rich country since 2013, presiding over a GDP drop of 80 percent that pushed more than seven million of once-wealthy Venezuela's 30 million citizens to emigrate.

He is accused of locking up critics and harassing opponents in a climate of rising authoritarianism.

Maduro's previous reelection, in 2018, was rejected by dozens of Latin American and other countries, including the United States and EU members.

Years of damaging US sanctions failed to dislodge the president, who enjoys loyalty from the military leadership, electoral bodies, courts and other state institutions, as well as the backing of Russia, China and Cuba.

I.Matar--SF-PST