Hundreds of people People of Venezuela They gathered today, Sunday Venezuelan Embassy in Mexico To vote in presidential elections, a process considered crucial to the country's future, was ruled by Chavismo for twenty-five years.
“Freedom! Freedom!”, the Venezuelan community living in the Mexican capital demonstrated in the affluent neighborhood of Polanco, where some immigrants expressed hope for a change of government. From the start, the atmosphere was passionate and hopeful.
Some protesters carried a giant Venezuelan flag and waved it while singing the national anthem. Diplomatic Headquarters. Six tables were set up at the embassy for thousands of voters living in Mexico to exercise their right to vote, with the tables closing at 6:00 p.m. local time (00:00 GMT Monday).
According to official statistics, 21 million 392 thousand 464 Venezuelans are eligible to vote on this day; However, abroad, only 69,211 people are entitled to do so, out of a population of about four million.
As of 2020, the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) reported that 52,948 Venezuelans lived in Mexico, although the actual number today may be higher.
From January to March 2024, the Mexican government's immigration policy unit reported that 89,718 Venezuelans were in an “irregular immigration situation,” a 324% increase over the same period the previous year.
Tonight, the Venezuelan embassy in Mexico became the center of a profound emotional shift among Venezuelan immigrants in the Aztec nation.
The news of Nicolás Maduro's victory in the presidential election has unleashed a roller coaster of emotions from initial joy. Disappointment, sadness and anger.
The initially hopeful atmosphere soon turned to one of bewilderment and disappointment once the official results were announced. With broken voices and tears in their eyes, many migrants expressed their frustration.
Nicolás Maduro won a third consecutive term with 51.2% of the vote, a total of 5.15 million votes, while opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia won 44.2%, or 4.45 million votes.
Later, the protesters observed a minute of silence to restore peace in Venezuela. With their hands on their chests, they directed their thoughts to their loved ones and comrades still living in Venezuela. However, the moment of reflection quickly gave way to a collective sense of anger and rage.
slogansFraud” started filling the air as soon as the results were announced. Some migrants, in their frustration, tried to tear down the security fences around the embassy.
The situation became more tense with the arrival of elements of the Secretariat of Citizen Security of the Capital (SSC-CDMX), a counter-insurgency group that was stationed to protect the embassy building and avoid possible clashes.
Until now, the Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Known for his closeness to Nicolás Maduro, he has yet to issue a position on the issue, although he is expected to address the situation at his morning press conference on Monday July 29 at the National Palace. Likewise, Mexico's president-elect, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, has not commented on the events at the embassy.