Venezuela held free and fair elections of July 28th

The claim that Venezuela held free and fair elections on July 28, 2024, is highly contested. Multiple sources indicate that the electoral process was marred by significant irregularities and human rights violations. According to Human Rights Watch, the elections were conducted in an environment of systematic human rights abuses, with opposition candidates being arbitrarily disqualified and opposition supporters facing harassment and arrests Human Rights Watch. U.S. Senators and other international observers have expressed concerns that the elections did not meet the conditions required for a free and fair process, citing increased persecution of civil society and political activists Rubio Senate. Furthermore, the results of the election have been disputed, with opposition candidate Edmundo González claiming victory based on independent tallies, while the government declared Nicolás Maduro the winner AP News. The international community, including the U.S. and Chile, has expressed skepticism about the official results, and there have been calls for transparency and the release of detailed voting data AP News. These factors strongly suggest that the elections were neither free nor fair, contradicting the initial claim.