Caracas Archbishop Raúl Biord Castillo. / Credit: Latin American Episcopal Conference (CELAM)
Caracas, Venezuela, Jan 9, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).
OnFriday,Jan.10,accordingtoVenezuelanlaw,thenewpresidentoftherepublicwhowontheJuly28,2024,electionforthe2025–2031termmustbeswornin.
Whilethecountry’sNationalElectoralCouncilcertifiedincumbentPresidentNicholasMaduroasthewinner,itfailedtoproducethevotetalliesasrequiredbylawtosubstantiatetheresults.MeanwhileoppositioncandidateEdmundoGonzálezUrrutiaclaimedalandslidevictoryandsaidhiscampaignhadcollected80%ofthevotetalliestoproveit.
Todate,variouscountriesaroundtheworldhaverecognizedGonzálezasthepresidentlegitimatelyelectedbyallVenezuelans.
Inthemidstofthecomplicatedpoliticalandsocialscenario,CaracasArchbishopRaúlBiordcalledfor“respectforhumanandcitizenrights”duringtheinaugurationofthe2025JubileeYearinCaracasonJan.6.
Theprelateaskedthatpoliticalactorsguarantee,inademocraticframework,“freedomofthought,expression,andsocialaction,andfortheendofallformsofinti