Venezuela shops shuttered, transport limited amid fears of more opposition arrests

MARACAY/VALENCIA: Stores were closed and buses not running around much of Venezuela on Wednesday, as tensions over a disputed presidential election and rumors of opposition arrests kept many people home.

President Nicolas Maduro, who has ruled since 2013, was declared the winner of the weekend vote by the electoral council. But the opposition says its tally of about 90% of votes shows that its candidate Edmundo Gonzalez received more than double the support attracted by Maduro.

The US-based Carter Center, which observed the vote, said in a statement late on Tuesday that the election “cannot be considered democratic.” It said the process was flawed throughout and called the electoral authority’s failure to publish disaggregated results a “serious breach.”

The dispute has led to widespread protests that Maduro and his government have denounced as an attempted coup. One NGO says at least 11 protesters have died.

Maduro has said Gonzalez and Machado should be held accountable for alleged crimes of the protesters.

Jorge Rodriguez, the head of the Congress for Maduro’s ruling socialists, insisted on Tuesday that both opposition figures should be arrested.

“The bosses (of the protesters) should go to prison,” he told lawmakers.

The government has said two members of the security forces also died and has invited people to report crimes associated with what it calls “fascist activities” via an app.

Fears were growing among the opposition on Wednesday that police would arrest Gonzalez and Machado, who last appeared in public in Caracas on Tuesday.

Attorney general Tarek Saab is set to give a press conference later on Wednesday. Last week, he denied to Reuters that Venezuela prosecutes people for their political beliefs.