CARACAS, Aug 6: Venezuela's opposition leaders on Monday appealed to the army, the main pillar of support for President Nicolas Maduro, to "take the side of the people" after his disputed reelection -- a call swiftly met with a criminal probe.
Prosecutors said they had opened an investigation targeting opposition leader Maria Corina Machado and presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia for announcing an election winner other than Maduro, instigating disobedience and insurrection.
While under public pressure to release detailed, precinct-level records backing up its assertion that Maduro won, the National Electoral Council said Monday it had presented all these records to the Supreme Court for certification, as requested by Maduro -- but not publicly.
The opposition insists Gonzalez Urrutia was the rightful victor of the July 28 presidential election, which has plunged the oil-rich nation into political crisis.
Multiple countries, including the United States and Argentina, have recognized Gonzalez Urrutia as the winner, while others, such as the European Union, have stopped short of doing so while calling for full publication of voting records.
The contested election sparked protests last week that left at least 11 civilians dead, according to rights groups.
"We appeal to the conscience of soldiers and police officers to take the side of the people and their own families," the opposition said in a statement in which they offered "guarantees to those who fulfill their constitutional duty" in a possible "new government."
The statement, which Gonzalez Urrutia signed as "president-elect," also urges the security forces to halt the "repression" of opposition protests. —AFP
