(DailyEmailNews.com) – Doubling down on his authoritarian rule, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro called for the state to respond with an “iron fist” to the already deadly protests that erupted after his recent fraudulent reelection.
As the death toll from the protests reached 25, Maduro demanded “severe justice” for the violence he attributes to the opposition.
However, the deaths have been carried out by security forces and paramilitary groups in an effort to silence internal unrest.
This comes after the opposition showed proof that their candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, overwhelmingly won the July 28 election.
“I demand from all the powers of state greater speed, greater efficiency and an iron fist against crime, against violence, against hate crimes,” Maduro stated during a defense council meeting.
Protests flared when the electoral council (CNE), known for its loyalty to Maduro, declared him the winner, sparking accusations of a rigged election.
Security forces have arrested over 2,000 individuals in a harsh crackdown, with Maduro blaming Gonzalez Urrutia and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado for the unrest.
Machado was previously unlawfully banned from running for presidency by state-aligned institutions.
“Where are the intellectual authors of this violence, where are the financiers of this violence, where are those who planned it?” Maduro questioned aggressively in his speech.
Both Gonzalez Urrutia and Machado have since gone into hiding, citing threats to their safety.
Maduro accused the opposition leaders of inciting a “coup d’etat” and of trying to stir a “civil war situation,” claims he said have been thwarted.
Despite his controversial 2018 reelection, which was not recognized by many countries including the U.S. and EU, Maduro has remained in power.
He is widely supported by military loyalists, state apparatus and countries like Russia, China and Cuba.
In the aftermath of the controversial elections, left-leaning governments in Brazil, Colombia and Mexico have refrained from recognizing Maduro’s victory, pressing for detailed election results.
International Criminal Court chief prosecutor Karim Khan also noted he was “actively monitoring” the situation following reports of violence and potential crimes during the protests.
Meanwhile, Venezuela’s parliament is working through holidays to draft laws to crack down on social media and NGOs.
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