Venezuelan officials have responded with threats and accusations to recent statements from Brazil and Colombia reaffirming their refusal to recognise any new president unless election results are published.
According to Venezuela鈥檚 National Electoral Council (CNE), incumbent president Nicolas Maduro won the July 28 election, but the right-wing opposition says alleged voting centre tally sheets prove the real winner was its candidate, Edmundo Gonz谩lez.
Given the controversy, Brazilian president Luiz In谩cio Lula da Silva and Colombian president Gustavo Petro have encouraged Maduro to dispel any doubts by publishing the full results.
As progressive leaders in neighbouring countries, Lula and Petro have maintained close relations with Venezuela in the face of a sustained United States-led campaign to diplomatically isolate the Maduro government.
They have also been outspoken against US-imposed sanctions on Venezuela that, as they noted in an , 鈥渁re contrary to international law and harm the population of the sanctioned countries, especially the most vulnerable sectors鈥.
But with Maduro pledging to assume the presidency on January 10 without the publication of results, Colombian foreign minister Luis Gilberto Murillo restated on October 30 that his government鈥檚 position 鈥渞emains clear鈥 鈥 no results means no recognition.
In response, Venezuelan foreign minister accused Murillo of having been blackmailed by 鈥渢he extreme right and the United States鈥, adding 鈥渉e will regret his constant meddling in our internal affairs鈥.
The previous day, Lula鈥檚 international affairs advisor said Brazil would also not recognise Maduro鈥檚 victory, given 鈥渢he principle of transparency has not been respected鈥. Amorin suggested this was behind Brazil鈥檚 decision to veto Venezuela鈥檚 entry into the BRICS+ alliance.
Hitting back at Amorim, accused him on October 30 of being 鈥渁 messenger for North American imperialism鈥. The same day, National Assembly president said Amorin had operated as if he was a 鈥渟pecial agent 鈥 for the White House鈥.
Noting Maduro had promised Amorin the day after the election that the results would be published once the CNE had resolved issues relating to a supposed 鈥渃yber attack鈥, Rodriguez accused Amorin of being a 鈥渓iar鈥 when he said the results lacked transparency.
鈥淭he CNE published the numbers from the electoral machines and the Venezuelan Supreme Court of Justice ratified the results of the elections,鈥 Rodriguez said.
To date, no results nor evidence of any cyber attack on the country鈥檚 voting system have been made public by any Venezuelan state body or official.
These attacks follow statements made last month by Venezuela鈥檚 attorney general in which he labelled Lula a 鈥淐IA agent鈥, though the foreign ministry shortly after distanced itself from the accusation.
Concerningly, posted a threatening message on October 31 on Instagram over an image depicting Lula鈥檚 silhouette.
The growing rift between Venezuela and the region鈥檚 left was on display at the World Anti-Fascist Parliamentary Forum hosted in Caracas on November 4鈥5.
Such conferences traditionally draw significant high-profile delegations from around Latin America. However, the main speakers on the opening panel were parliamentarians representing the regimes in Russia and Iran, a South African MP and a representative from the Turkish-based League of Parliamentarians for Al-Quds and Palestine.
The only country from the region represented on a speaking panel was Cuba.