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Maduro wins second term amid vote rigging claims (Lead)
Caracas, May 21 (IANS) Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been re-elected for a six-year term, shrugging off international condemnation and allegations of vote buying as well as electoral fraud.
Venezuela’s election board on Sunday put turnout at just 46.1 per cent but the opposition alleged it was even lower. The main opposition candidate, Henri Falcón, rejected the result soon after the polls closed and called for new elections, the BBC reported on Monday.
“We do not recognise this electoral process as valid… we have to have new elections in Venezuela,” he said.
With more than 90 per cent of the votes counted, 55-year-old Maduro got 67.7 per cent — 5.8 million votes — National Electoral Council (CNE) chief Tibisay Lucena said. Falcón had won 21.2 per cent — 1.8 million votes.
As polling started, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo denounced the election as a “sham” on Twitter. The US mission to the UN called the process an “insult to democracy” and Chile and Panama said that they would not recognise the result.
“Venezuela’s elections do not meet the minimum standards for a true democracy. They are not clean or legitimate elections and they do not represent the free and sovereign will of the Venezuelan people,” said Chile President Sebastian Pinera.
The EU and Latin American countries had also warned ahead of the vote that they would take measures against the government if it went ahead with the election.
Maduro, however, dismissed such criticisms in his late-night victory address. He told cheering crowds outside the presidential palace in Caracas that “the revolution is here to stay!”.
“The whole of Venezuela has triumphed! Democracy has triumphed! Peace has triumphed! Constitutionality has triumphed (These were) elections that were constitutional, legitimate and legal,” he insisted, before claiming: “We have a President of the people! A working President!”
China asked that the decision of the Venezuelan people be respected. “The relevant parties should respect the choice made by the Venezuelan people,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said.
Australia urged all Venezuelan political parties to seek a solution to the country’s crisis through dialogue.
“Australia has expressed its deep concern to the government of Venezuela for the ongoing violence, deterioration of human rights and eroding respect for rule of law,” a spokesperson of Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.
The elections were supposed to be held in December 2018, but the CNE, made up exclusively of Maduro’s supporters, brought them forward.
Luis Emilio Rondón, the one CNE member critical of the government, said he did not recognise the results because “Venezuelans’ freedom to vote” had not been respected.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
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