The United States and Brazil are advocating for a new election in Venezuela, even though both the Venezuelan government and opposition have dismissed the idea.

On July 29, 2024, a man waved a Venezuelan flag as protesters clashed with police in Caracas, following a controversial presidential election. Demonstrations erupted in parts of the city against President Nicolas Maduro’s claimed re-election victory, which the opposition and international observers disputed, according to AFP journalists.

U.S. President Joe Biden expressed support for a new election in Venezuela, echoing a suggestion by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Both Maduro’s ruling party and the opposition, however, have rejected the idea, each claiming victory in the July 28 election. Biden’s comments came after Lula proposed that Maduro could call for a new election with international observers to resolve the political crisis. The U.S. has dismissed Maduro’s victory claim, with a National Security Council spokesperson stating that Biden was highlighting the absurdity of Maduro’s refusal to be transparent about the election results. The spokesperson also asserted that opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez had clearly won.

A U.S. official noted that the U.S. stance remains unchanged, with many countries in the region urging Maduro to release the election results and acknowledge the true outcome. Despite international calls for a new election, neither Maduro nor the opposition coalition has shown support for the proposal.

Maduro rejected the comments from Biden and Lula, accusing the U.S. and Brazil of interfering in Venezuela’s internal affairs. He emphasized that Venezuela has not meddled in their contested elections. Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado also dismissed the idea of a new election, insisting that Maduro must face the consequences of his actions.

Lula suggested that a coalition government could be another solution, proposing that Maduro might consider new elections overseen by a nonpartisan committee. He reiterated that he does not recognize Maduro as the election winner and called for the publication of the voting tallies. Lula and Colombian President Gustavo Petro have been in discussions to find a resolution to Venezuela’s crisis, with Petro suggesting a temporary power-sharing arrangement similar to one used in Colombia in the past.

Petro, who restored trade and diplomatic relations with Venezuela in 2022, also called for lifting all sanctions on the country. Latin American leaders are expected to discuss the crisis during a meeting in the Dominican Republic.

Brazil’s top foreign policy advisor, Celso Amorim, clarified that Brazil had not formally proposed a new election in Venezuela. Conservative senators criticized the Lula administration for its lenient stance towards Maduro and inquired about Brazil’s efforts to support jailed opposition leaders. Amorim mentioned that Brazil had offered to transport six opposition members seeking asylum in the Argentine embassy.

Venezuela’s electoral authority announced that Maduro won 51% of the vote but has not released the full vote tallies. The opposition, however, claims that their tallies, posted on a public website, show Gonzalez received 67% of the vote.