The president Nicolás Maduro assured while voting on the morning of this Sunday that he will respect and ensure the respect of the results of the elections issued by the National Electoral Council (CNE) at the end of the day, and he called on his rivals at the polls to commit to doing the same.
"No one will lead Venezuela to chaos; we have an electoral referee for that. I, Nicolás Maduro, commit to respecting the electoral referee and invite all parties to respect the governing body," he stated in comments to the media after casting his ballot in Caracas, accompanied by his wife, the country's first lady and deputy, Cilia Flores.
"I recognize and will recognize the referee, the official bulletins, and I will ensure they are respected. (It will be) the holy word of the electoral referee, and I call on the 10 presidential candidates and the 38 political parties to publicly declare that they will respect the official bulletin of the organization," he declared in front of reporters.
At another time, he said that his candidacy is "the only guarantee of peace" in the country.
When asked about his recognition of the results in case he loses the election, he emphasized that the CNE's bulletin "will not only be recognized but defended, in perfect civic-military unity," and assured that everything will be fine.
"I said I was going to arrive in peace and in peace [the day of the elections] arrived, and if there is something to preserve and defend it is peace, harmony, and coexistence among Venezuelans. It has to be a day for good to triumph in Venezuela, doing good, which is the greatest expression of love," he expressed.
In this regard, he indicated that this Monday he will share "many things" related to the work done by his government to ensure that these elections are held peacefully. He also recalled his intention to make a new call for dialogue with various sectors, including the political and economic.
On social media, many have noticed that the ballot box where Maduro voted was next to a school sign that said "Happy Holidays," details that many have considered a humorous premonition of his departure, but will it be that easy?
Attack by the President of the National Electoral Council on the opposition candidate
What is concerning for those opposing Maduro is that the president of Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE), Elvis Amoroso, criticized this Sunday - during the presidential election in the country - the majority opposition candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, for not having signed a commitment to recognize the results, even though it is neither a legal nor mandatory requirement.
The chavista official questioned the candidate from the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD) for refusing to sign an agreement unilaterally proposed by Maduro, which was signed by eight contenders who committed to recognizing the result issued by the CNE at the end of the electoral day.
The polling stations in Venezuela opened their doors at 6:00 a.m. this Sunday to hold elections that could signify the defeat of Nicolás Maduro if the forecasts from the polls hold true, which give his rival González leads of over 20 points.
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