Kiwi Venezuelans hope for brighter future amongst electoral chaos and violence

Venezuela's firebrand opposition leader Maria Corina Machado speaks to a crowd of supporters during the recent election campaign. Photo / Getty Images

Members of New Zealand’s Venezuelan community are hoping countrywide protests and a unified opposition following a disputed election may see the end of President Nicolas Maduro.

Questions of legitimacy have plagued the recent election after Maduro claimed victory despite trailing in almost every opinion poll in the run-up to voting.

However, the country’s opposition said its tally of 80% of the votes showed Edmundo Gonzalez received more than double the support of the incumbent president.

One Venezuelan expat Ana said the same government has been in power for the last 25 years and has become increasingly autocratic.

She said the fallout from the disputed election results was always going to be the hardest part of the fight for democracy.

“It was not going to be as easy as voting, the opposition wins the election, the government respect the results and then happy days.”

Venezuela's opposition party said Edmundo Gonzalez received more than double the support of the incumbent president Nicolas Maduro in the country's recent election. Photo / Getty Images

Her father, who also lives in New Zealand, said Venezuela was once a rich country but has been run into the ground by years of corruption.

The country’s electoral council proclaimed Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, won the election with 51% of the vote.

During the election day, Gonzalez and firebrand leader Maria Corina Machado encouraged supporters to gather copies of electronic voting receipts from polling stations across the country.

The pair hoped these would provide definitive proof of the results rather than relying on government officials to declare a winner.

Machado and Gonzalez released detailed tallies on a public website which, according to Reuters, showed the opposition received more than 7 million votes compared to Maduro’s 3.3 million.

The government has so far not shared any information beyond a national total of votes for each candidate.

The United States and several Latin American countries have cast doubt on Maduro’s re-election.

Colombia’s foreign minister, Luis Gilberto Murillo, called for an independent verification and audit of the vote count “as soon as possible.” while Argentine President Javier Milei said he would not recognise a “fraud.”

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said “Electoral data overwhelmingly demonstrate the will of the Venezuelan people: democratic opposition candidate @EdmundoGU won the most votes in Sunday’s election.”

Electoral data overwhelmingly demonstrate the will of the Venezuelan people: democratic opposition candidate @EdmundoGU won the most votes in Sunday’s election. Venezuelans have voted, and their votes must count.

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) August 2, 2024

Another expat told the Herald he and his then-pregnant wife left Venezuela in 2014 because there were no opportunities for their daughter.

“Location-wise, security-wise, things were too dangerous.”

Despite overwhelming levels of anxiety, he has been amazed by the persistence of Gonzalez and Machado.

His wife told the Herald the couple have experienced a roller coaster of emotions during the past week.

“Sometimes I was scared and crying because my brother, my aunties, my cousins are all still in Venezuela,” she said.

“But other times, I was feeling hopeful that we could finally get rid of this government.”

Government forces have reportedly begun cracking down on dissent with videos emerging online of officers dragging protesters and opposition supporters into vehicles.

Arrests being carried out in Venezuela. pic.twitter.com/xWvgaPFjFi

— Moshe Schwartz (@YWNReporter) July 30, 2024

Luis Ramirez-Ostos has lived in New Zealand for more than 10 years since leaving Venezuela in 2013.

The now Kiwi citizen said he and his family have not been sleeping much during the past week.

“It’s a bit bizarre. I’m a senior manager and I’m living a decent life here,” he said.

“But when I go into the office and focus on something technical or laughing in a meeting, in Venezuela there are people dying at the moment.”

Even though he and his family now live in New Zealand, Ramirez-Ostos has not given up on the fight for his country.

“We all want the country to be free again so we can visit,” he said.

Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro claimed victory in the recent election despite widespread claims of fraud and dishonesty.

“Even though we live here, it’s still our war. We still want to win.”

Ana said that despite the violence and perceived fraud, she was still hopeful for Venezuela’s future.

“It’s the first time in many years we are very united as a country no matter the place, the state or whether you are in Venezuela or overseas.

“All we want is to go back to our country and have guarantees that we can be there safely, that we’re not going to be judged by our politics and freedom of thought.

“Carry on with our lives, have progress, have a future. That’s what we want.”

A spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said New Zealand has supported international calls for full transparency of Venezuela’s recent election results.

“It is essential that the democratic process be upheld and the will of the Venezuelan people be respected. We urge the National Electoral Council to release the full voting tallies as required under Venezuelan law.”

According to the UN Refugee Agency, as of the end of last year, there were approximately 7.7 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants globally.

The 2018 census noted there were 156 Venezuelans in New Zealand.

David Williams is an Auckland-based Multimedia Journalist who joined the Herald in 2023. He covers breaking news and general topics.