US General Accuses Venezuelan President of Undermining Democracy Amid Controversial Election

A senior US general, Laura Richardson, has accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of undermining democracy following a disputed presidential election in July. The opposition claims Maduro's party committed fraud, and international bodies have called for full tallies to be released. The controversy has led to international debates about democratic values.

A senior U.S. general has accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of undermining the democratic will of his country's people following July's disputed presidential election. This incident is cited as part of a broader global threat to democratic values.

Venezuela's electoral council declared Maduro the winner, but his opposition released its tallies showing a landslide victory for their candidate. International bodies and various democratic nations have demanded the full tallies, alleging fraud. The U.S. has provided 'overwhelming evidence' in support of the opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez.

Speaking in Santiago, General Laura Richardson of the U.S. Southern Command criticized Maduro for causing a mass exodus of Venezuelans, and discussed wider threats to democratic values. Chile's Defense Minister, Maya Fernandez, stressed respect for national sovereignty but did not explicitly mention Venezuela. U.S. General C.Q. Brown emphasized regional cooperation in upholding democratic principles. Venezuelan representatives were not in attendance.

(With inputs from agencies.)