The US and Venezuela: the disputed 2024 election and Maduro's crackdown

Days later, María Corina Machado, a former legislator, claimed victory in the opposition's independently organized primary, with a big lead in early returns.^[12][13] Venezuela's top court suspended the primary's result, and Washington warned it would "take action" if Maduro's government did not meet its commitments.^[14] In January 2024 the court upheld a ban on Machado's candidacy.^[15] The US reimposed sanctions on a state-owned mining company, and in April it reimposed its oil sanctions as hopes for a fair vote faded.^[16][17] Officials set the election for July 28.^[18] Authorities kept arresting opponents they accused of plotting against Maduro, including the head of Machado's security a little more than a week before the vote.^[19][20] The opposition rallied behind González, a former diplomat.^[21][22] Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva urged Maduro to respect the results, saying he was "frightened" by Maduro's talk of a possible bloodbath.^[23]

Both Maduro and the opposition claimed victory, as the United States voiced "serious concerns" about the result.^[1] Protests broke out after the electoral authority formally declared Maduro the winner, and demonstrators toppled statues of Hugo Chávez, his late predecessor.^[24][25] On August 1 the US recognized González as the winner.^[3] Colombian President Gustavo Petro, a close ally of Maduro, called on him to release detailed vote counts.^[26] Masked assailants ransacked Machado's headquarters,^[27] and Pope Francis was among voices around the world raising concern over the growing number of arrests.^[28] President Joe Biden backed Lula's suggestion of a new election, which neither Maduro nor the opposition supported, and Machado rejected it.^[29][30]

Venezuela's courts then sided with Maduro. On August 22 the Supreme Court certified his victory, calling the vote tallies the opposition had published online forged.^[5] A judge issued an arrest warrant for González, accusing him of terrorism, conspiracy and other crimes.^[31][6] He left for Spain in September, and later said he had been coerced into signing a letter that effectively recognized his defeat.^[6][32] In November, Secretary of State Antony Blinken recognized González as president-elect,^[4] and the US sanctioned more than 20 officials aligned with Maduro.^[33] In January 2025, González began an international tour that included a White House meeting with Biden.^[34][35] Aides to Machado said she was detained after a day of protests against Maduro's new term, an account officials denied, in a confusing episode.^[7] What followed is covered in the arc on the US campaign to oust Maduro and the arc on Venezuela under Delcy Rodríguez, and Machado's 2025 Nobel Peace Prize in its own arc.