Venezuelan Electoral Crisis: Enrique Márquez Leads Effort to Overturn Maduro’s Victory

The South American country, which has endured years of political and economic crisis under the leadership of Hugo Chávez’s successor, is facing a new wave of protests and demands, this time focused on the apparent fraud in the presidential elections of July 28.

The complaint led by Enrique Márquez, former rector of the National Electoral Council (CNE), has given new momentum to the opposition, which not only questions the election results but also the role of the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) and its ruling in favor of Maduro. Enrique Márquez, former rector of the CNE, launched a signature collection campaign with the goal of filing a Constitutional Review Appeal before the TSJ. This initiative aims to annul the ruling that ratified Maduro as president-elect for a third term.

Márquez argues that the ruling is unconstitutional and violates the Venezuelan people’s right to vote, as the disaggregated electoral records and details of the audit process that supposedly legitimized Maduro’s victory were never presented.

«On July 28, Venezuelans exercised our right to vote and expressed our desire for change in peace. A right that is being violated by the omission of the CNE, which to this day has not published the disaggregated electoral results table by table and record by record.”

The opposition and many analysts agree that the TSJ’s ruling lacks a solid foundation, as the CNE has not fulfilled its duty of transparency by not publishing the complete electoral results table by table.

In fact, Márquez has been emphatic in pointing out that no details were provided of the expertise that supposedly validated the results. «No one could present an expert, no one could provide a witness,» he said in a recent statement, highlighting the lack of transparency in the process.

This massive electoral fraud has been denounced not only by the Venezuelan opposition but also by the international community. Countries like the United States and members of the European Union have spoken out against the election results, denouncing irregularities and the lack of independent observers.

María Corina Machado, one of the most prominent leaders of the opposition, has been outspoken in her denunciation of the electoral process and has demanded harsher sanctions against the Maduro regime.

The electoral process in question was carried out in a climate of repression and censorship, where independent media and opposition leaders were silenced. The Constitutional Chamber has been asked to declare the unconstitutionality of ruling number 31, but transparency has not been provided to the Venezuelan people.

We continue to uphold and defend what is established in the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to achieve peace. In the coming days, we will request the Constitutional Chamber of the TSJ to declare null and void ruling number 31 issued by the Electoral Chamber and the effects it has on the Venezuelan people. Starting Monday, we will share the appeal and the mechanisms for Venezuelan men and women who wish to join this cause, both inside and outside the country, to do so.

Moreover, the lack of access to independent international observers deepens doubts about the legitimacy of the results. According to the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), which brings together the main opposition parties, the true winner of the elections was Edmundo González Urrutia, who is currently in exile in Spain. This platform has published more than 80% of the electoral records on its website that supposedly demonstrate the fraud perpetrated by the regime.

One of the most contentious points of this electoral crisis is the usurpation of functions carried out by the TSJ. By intervening in the validation of the electoral results, the court would have assumed functions that are exclusive to the CNE, which represents a direct violation of the Venezuelan Constitution.

According to Enrique Márquez, this act reflects the subordination of the judicial institutions to Maduro’s regime, which uses its power to remain in power regardless of the popular will.
It is important to note that Venezuela’s Supreme Court of Justice has been controlled by loyalists to chavismo for years. This has allowed the regime to consolidate its control over all aspects of the country’s political life, including the manipulation of electoral processes in its favor.

The ruling of the Constitutional Chamber that ratified Maduro as president-elect has been considered by many as just another tool in the regime’s arsenal to perpetuate itself in power.
Despite the repression and widespread despair affecting much of the Venezuelan population, Enrique Márquez’s initiative has sparked a glimmer of hope.

His call to action through the collection of digital signatures has been well received both inside and outside of Venezuela. On his social media, Márquez has shared links for citizens to join this initiative, which seeks to invalidate the TSJ ruling and restore the sovereignty of the vote in Venezuela.

Venezuelan citizens, both in the country and in the diaspora, can participate in this civic and democratic campaign by registering through a link enabled on the website of the Centrados party, of which Márquez is the leader.

The signing of this appeal will be carried out under the Organic Law of the TSJ and the Electronic Data Transmission Law, ensuring that citizen participation is properly documented and presented to the court.

Joana Campos

Joana Campos es abogada y editora con más de 10 años de experiencia en la gestión de proyectos de desarrollo internacional, enfocada en la sostenibilidad y el impacto social positivo. Actualmente dirige JC Editorial, donde ha coordinado la edición y distribución de libros de reconocidos autores internacionales y la logística de numerosas giras nacionales. Además, se desempeña como Administradora General en Medicina Integradora, gestionando la clínica y generando proyectos en diversas áreas. Anteriormente, trabajó como abogada corporativa, especializándose en derecho penal y corporativo. Joana es licenciada en Derecho por la Universidad de Guadalajara.

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Joana Campos is a lawyer and editor with over 10 years of experience in managing international development projects, focusing on sustainability and positive social impact. She currently leads JC Editorial, where she has coordinated the editing and distribution of books by renowned international authors and managed the logistics of numerous national tours. Additionally, she serves as the General Administrator at Medicina Integradora, overseeing the clinic and generating projects in various areas. Previously, she worked as a corporate lawyer, specializing in criminal and corporate law. Joana holds a law degree from the University of Guadalajara.