Joaquina, Lele Pons, Rawayana and other artists react to the controversial presidential election in Venezuela

Hours after the National Electoral Council of Venezuela declared Nicolas Maduro, the winner of Sunday's (July 28th) presidential election, the opposition has denounced irregularities in the counting process, prompting several Venezuelan artists to react with sadness to the political situation in their country.

“It is impossible not to wake up on a morning like today without praying for the unity and peace of our Venezuela. We ride hope with tears in our eyes and faith in our chests,” said the Mau y Ricky brothers. Advertising sign.

“THEY STOLE THE VOTES!!! IT IS KNOWN TO BE A SCAM!!! What an injustice, poor Venezuela! A national sentiment,” singer and influencer Lele Pons wrote in Spanish on her Instagram account with a series of pictures and videos of the tears and the news.

“fraud. audacity. cynicism. mockery. DICTATORSHIP. There are no words to describe it and people need to keep learning about it,” Latin Grammy winner Joaquina wrote about her. Instagram storieswhile in the account of X she posted: “Don't try to cover the sun with one finger.”

Sunday's election in Venezuela had raised expectations of change in many people, after 25 years of the socialist government started by the late Hugo Chavez, President Nicolas Maduro faced “the biggest electoral challenge since he took power 11 years ago.” . the Associated Press reports. Edmundo González, who represented the united opposition's candidacy, campaigned vigorously against Maduro's re-election.

Dozens of artists from Venezuela flooded their social media accounts with messages expressing their hope for a change of course in the country. But close to midnight the National Electoral Council declared Maduro the winner with 51.2% of the vote — despite opposition allegations of irregularities in the counting process. Shortly after, the leader of the opposition Maria Korina Machado denied Maduro's victory and said at a press conference, “We won and everyone knows it,” noting that in the 40% of tallies she had, Gonzalez had won with 70% of the vote.

Gonzalez, meanwhile, he told the AP: “Venezuelan people and the whole world know what happened.”

The situation, however, is not surprising to some as similar situations have been seen in previous elections in the South American country. “Venezuela has been living a big fraud for many years … an ideological, moral and ethical fraud,” says the singer of the Venezuelan rock/reggae band Rawayana, Alberto 'Beto' Montenegro. Advertising sign. “Unfortunately we are not surprised by another electoral fraud, we have already seen it all.”

Venezuelan producer and composer Román Rojas, meanwhile, said Billboard Español that he experienced “the aftermath of the brutality of the Maduro regime through a friend, a talented violinist, who was tortured for his political stance.” He was referring to Wuilly Arteagawho rose to prominence in 2017 by playing mournful versions of the national anthem during protests in Caracas, and who was thrown to the ground, had his violin smashed and was jailed in a standoff with police.

“For artists to flourish, they must live in societies where freedom of expression is protected and not punished,” added Rojas. “When governments impose restrictions, art loses its authenticity and becomes a tool of ideology.”

For Henry D'Arthenay, leader of the La Vida Bohème group, “In Venezuela, we are used to this political circus. we are indifferent, and in my opinion, that only made us stronger. The millions of Venezuelans kidnapped by a fraud of a government that sold false hope and gave hunger in return, and the millions of Venezuelans outside the country who were expelled and denied the chance to vote. We are the orphans who continue to hold the nation together with the power of hope.”

Latin Grammy-nominated DJ and producer Mr Pauer, meanwhile, pointed out that although he has lived in the US for more than 30 years, he prays for change and dreams of returning. “It hurts me a lot to see how they are suppressing the voice of my country, which is asking for change so badly,” he says. Advertising sign. “It is time for a peaceful transition and for the world to know what is happening to my people and to take action that really defends democracy.”