Venezuelans in Prague continue series of protests following disputed election

Several dozen Venezuelans gathered in central Prague yesterday to protest the disputed results of the recent Venezuelan presidential election and denounce the authoritarian regime of President Nicolas Maduro. Saturday's demonstration continues a series of weekend protests in the Czech capital that began earlier this month.

Demonstrators held banners with messages such as "I want to go home but I can't... dictatorship" and "We protest for the truth," while chanting "Freedom for Venezuela" and waving Venezuelan flags.

The protest follows Maduro's controversial re-election at the end of July, which the Venezuelan opposition and international critics have denounced as illegitimate. Demonstrators in Prague expressed solidarity with those in Venezuela who are resisting the government.

"People are scared, I have friends and relatives there who delete conversations because they are scared they will come to their house and check their phones," Valerio Mendoza from La Casa Venezolana, the organization behind the protests, told Czech News Agency.

"If they see any message or photo that is related to a protest or criticism of the government, they will take you away, without any legal process."

Protests erupted in Venezuela after the July 28 election results were announced, leading to the deaths of several people and the arrest of hundreds. Maduro’s government has detained over 2,400 people in connection with the protests, while 25 have died.

Opposition’s candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, has been accused of inciting unrest, and an investigation has been launched against him and Maria Corina Machado, head of the opposition alliance. Both are charged with attempting to usurp power and spreading false information.

Internationally, the opposition's claims of election fraud have gained traction, with countries including the United States, Argentina, Peru, and Uruguay recognizing Gonzalez as the legitimate winner. The European Union has also expressed concerns, citing a lack of transparency in the election results.

Mendoza emphasized the protesters’ demand for the Maduro regime to respect the will of Venezuelans who had voted for change, adding that the Prague protests would continue over the coming weeks.

"A lot of Venezuelans want change and they expressed their desire for change by electing Gonzalez, but the Maduro regime is not taking this into account, and on top of that, when Venezuelans started protesting against false results, repression started and thousands of people ended up in jail," he says.

"Today is the third protest, and each time more people come. We hope that more Czechs and those who care about democracy and freedom will join next time."