By Matt Spitalnick and Phil Stewart
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Biden administration said on Monday that election fraud had stripped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s claim of re-election of “any credibility”, and Washington left the door open to new sanctions on the OPEC member.
Senior U.S. officials briefing reporters on Sunday’s election stressed Washington’s response to the disputed vote, in which Venezuela’s electoral body declared Maduro a third term but independent polls indicated a landslide victory for the opposition.
The United States and a number of other governments have cast doubt on the official election results. Maduro’s opposition rival Edmundo Gonzalez has claimed to be the real winner.
The US officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, reinforced public demands by top aides to President Joe Biden that Maduro release a detailed tally of votes, saying failure to do so would leave the international community unwilling to accept the declared result.
Officials did not disclose any new punitive measures, but said Washington would assess sanctions policy toward Venezuela based on any future actions Maduro takes.
“We are facing a possible new scenario. We will take that into account when we plan for the future regarding sanctions on Venezuela,” one official said.
Washington, which dismissed Maduro’s 2018 re-election as a sham, broadly eased sanctions on Venezuela’s oil industry last October in response to a deal between Maduro and opposition parties. But in April, the United States reimposed sanctions, accusing Maduro of reneging on election commitments.
“By engaging in repression, manipulating the election, and declaring a winner without detailed voting results for each constituency… Maduro’s representatives have stripped the supposed election results they announced of any credibility,” a US official said.
“We have serious concerns that the outcome that was announced does not reflect the will or the voice of the Venezuelan people,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said earlier in Tokyo.
Maduro reiterated early Monday morning his campaign assertion that Venezuela’s electoral system is transparent.
White House spokesman John Kirby said the United States would withhold judgment until it had more information but would “respond accordingly.”
US officials have offered few details about the electoral violations they believe were committed by Maduro’s side.
But one official said the electoral commission’s announcement “does not conform to the data we have received through rapid counting mechanisms and other sources” and appears at odds with how Venezuelans voted.
The officials said the United States is coordinating with its regional allies on the response, and will also work with international partners on potential consequences for the Maduro government.