AP review of Venezuela opposition-provided vote tallies casts doubt on government’s election results

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — An AP analysis of vote tally sheets released Friday by Venezuela’s main opposition indicates that their candidate won significantly more votes in Sunday’s election than the government has claimed, casting serious doubt on the official declaration that President Nicolás Maduro won.

The AP processed almost 24,000 images of tally sheets, representing the results from 79% of voting machines. Each sheet encoded vote counts in QR codes, which the AP programmatically decoded and analyzed, resulting in tabulations of 10.26 million votes.

According to the calculations, the opposition’s Edmundo González received 6.89 million votes, nearly half a million more than the government says Maduro won with. The tabulations also show Maduro received 3.13 million votes from the tally sheets released.

By comparison, updated results from the governmental National Electoral Council made public Friday said that based on 96.87% of tally sheets, Maduro had 6.4 million votes and Gonzalez 5.3 million. National Electoral Council President Elvis Amoroso attributed the delay in updating results to “massive attacks” on the “technological infrastructure.”

The AP could not independently verify the authenticity of the 24,532 tally sheets provided by the opposition. The AP successfully extracted data from 96% of the provided vote tallies, with the remaining 4% of images too poor to parse.

González and opposition leader María Corina Machado said Monday that they had secured the tally sheets from polling centers nationwide and that they showed Maduro lost his bid for a third six-year term by a landslide.

The opposition first offered voters the opportunity to look up scanned copies of the tally sheets online. But following criticism and threats from Maduro and his inner circle, the campaign on Friday released its scans.

The tally sheets, known in Spanish as “actas,” are lengthy printouts that resemble shopping receipts. They have long been considered the ultimate proof of election results in Venezuela.

Earlier Friday, a half dozen masked assailants ransacked the opposition's headquarters in an escalation of violence after several countries called for proof of Maduro’s claim of victory.

Assailants broke down doors and hauled away valuable documents and equipment in the raid around 3 a.m., Machado and González's party said. Several walls were covered in black spray paint.

The raid follows threats by top officials, including Maduro, to arrest Machado, who has gone into hiding while still urging Venezuelans and the international community to challenge Sunday’s election results.

The Biden administration has thrown its support firmly behind the opposition, recognizing González as the victor and discrediting the National Electoral Council's official results. González was tapped in April as a last-minute stand-in for Machado, who was barred from running for political office.

The U.S. announcement late Thursday followed calls from multiple governments, including Maduro's close regional allies, for Venezuela's electoral authorities to release precinct-level vote counts, as it has during previous elections.

“Given the overwhelming evidence, it is clear to the United States and, most importantly, to the Venezuelan people that Edmundo González Urrutia won the most votes in Venezuela’s July 28 presidential election,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

González, whose location is also unknown, posted a message on X thanking the U.S. “for recognizing the will of the Venezuelan people reflected in our electoral victory and for supporting the process of restoring democratic norms in Venezuela.”

Maduro said during a news conference Friday that the U.S. should stay out of Venezuela’s politics.

Maduro also alleged that members of the opposition “plan to carry out an attack” in a Caracas neighborhood near where Machado called on supporters to gather with their families Saturday. He played audio and showed an image of a purported WhatsApp chat that he said was proof of the planned attack.

He said he has ordered the armed forces to guard the neighborhood. That order could limit the ability of opposition supporters to gather, but it would not affect the planned demonstration of ruling party supporters elsewhere in the city.

There has been a flurry of diplomatic efforts by Brazil, Colombia and Mexico to convince Maduro to allow an impartial audit of the vote. On Thursday, the governments of the three countries issued a joint statement calling on Venezuela's electoral authorities “to move forward expeditiously and publicly release” detailed voting data.

On Friday, Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the lower house of the Russian parliament, said Russian election monitors witnessed Maduro's legitimate victory and accused the U.S. of stirring tensions in the country.

Venezuela sits atop the world’s largest proven crude reserves and once boasted Latin America’s most advanced economy, but it entered into a free fall marked by 130,000% hyperinflation and widespread shortages after Maduro took the helm in 2013. More than 7.7 million Venezuelans have fled the country since 2014, the largest exodu in Latin America’s recent history.

U.S. oil sanctions have only deepened the misery, and the Biden administration — which had been easing those restrictions — is now likely to ramp them up again unless Maduro agrees to some sort of transition.

“He’s counting on being able to wait this out and people will get tired of demonstrating,” said Cynthia Arnson, a distinguished fellow at the Wilson Center, a Washington think tank. “The problem is, the country is in a death spiral and there’s no chance the economy will be able to recover without the legitimacy that comes from a fair election.”

Thousands of opposition supporters took to the streets Monday after the National Electoral Council declared Maduro the winner, and the government said it arrested hundreds of protesters.

On Wednesday, Maduro asked Venezuela’s highest court to conduct an audit of the election, but that request drew almost immediate criticism from foreign observers who said the court — which like most institutions is controlled by the government — lacks the independence to perform a credible review.

On Friday afternoon, González was notably absent — an empty chair beside Maduro — when the court convened the nine presidential candidates.

Supreme Tribunal President Caryslia Rodríguez called on the candidates and their parties to provide all required documents as the court seeks to audit the results.

Maduro took the opportunity to call González “the candidate of fascism” and promised to hand over all the voting tallies.

Later, Maduro and his campaign manager, National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez, attempted to discredit the tally sheets posted online by the opposition, arguing that they were missing signatures from the electoral council representative as well as poll workers and party representatives.

They didn't acknowledge that soldiers, civilian militia, police and loyalists of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela, on Sunday blocked some opposition representatives from entering the polls, witnessing the vote, and signing and obtaining copies of tally sheets.

Goodman reported from Medellin, Colombia, and Kastanis from Los Angeles. Associated Press correspondents María Verza in Mexico City and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow and data journalists Chris Keller, Nicholas Forster, Larry Fenn, Kasturi Pananjady, Kavish Harjai and Aaron Kessler contributed.

National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez holds up what he says are invalid vote tally sheets during a press conference at the Miraflores presidential palace, in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez)

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro holds up a Bible during a press conference at the Miraflores presidential palace, in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez)

Pedestrians walk past a campaign mural featuring President Nicolas Maduro, in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernardo Suarez)

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores arrive at the Supreme Court in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez)

Graffiti covers the wall inside the election campaign headquarters of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado and presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez the day after it was ransacked overnight in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. Officials have threatened to arrest Machado who has gone into hiding five days after the disputed presidential election. (AP Photo/Bernardo Suarez)

Opposition spokesperson Delsa Solorzano speaks at the opposition's campaign headquarters in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, five days after the disputed presidential election. (AP Photo/Bernardo Suarez)

A man walks by a mural depicting a ballot box, outside the headquarters of the National Electoral Council in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, three days after the country's disputed presidential election. (AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez)

Children play a card game on a public beach in La Guaira, Venezuela, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

Commuters descend a stairway that lead to the subway in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

A family take a selfie along a street adorned with an umbrella installation in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

People line up at a supermarket in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, two days after the disputed presidential election. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Commuters travel on public transportation in the Catia neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Nathaly Diaz, center right, sits with her family on their home in the Cruz Alta neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

An aerial view of Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro holds a Bible during his news conference at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, three days after his disputed reelection. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

The election campaign headquarters of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado and presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez stands after being ransacked overnight in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, five days after the disputed presidential election. Officials have threatened to arrest Machado who has gone into hiding. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, right, and presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez hold a press conference after electoral authorities declared President Nicolas Maduro the winner of the presidential election in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, July 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Detainees' families gather outside the Boleita National Police detention center after their loved ones were arrested during opposition protests in recent days against the official results of the presidential election in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Venezuelan nationals hold a sign with a message that reads in Portuguese: "Brazil, thank you for your support of the Venezuelan people", during a demonstration in support of opposition Venezuelan presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, in front of the Itamaraty Palace, in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Detainees' relatives stand in line with food to give to their arrested family members, outside the Boleita National Police detention center after demonstrators were arrested in recent days during opposition protests against the official results of the presidential election in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Franchesca Aponte writes a note to her brother outside the Boleita National Police detention center after he was arrested during opposition protests in recent days against the official results of the presidential election in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. The note from Aponte and her mother reads in Spanish "God bless you son. Your mother and sister are here. We love you." (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Detainees' families gather outside the Boleita National Police detention center after their loved ones were detained in recent days during opposition protests against the official results of the presidential election in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

A resident who did not want to give her name gathers outside the Boleita National Police detention center after her brother was detained in recent days during opposition protests against the official results of the presidential election in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Maritza Fernández stands outside the Boleita National Police detention center after her partner was detained in recent days during opposition protests against the official results of the presidential election in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

The families of detainees gather outside the Boleita National Police detention center after their loved ones were detained in recent days during opposition protests against the official results of the presidential election in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

A woman sits outside the Boleita National Police detention center after her boyfriend was arrested during recent opposition protests against the official results of the presidential election in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. The line reflected in the motorcycle mirror is of relatives of other detainees also arrested during protests. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Detainees' families gather outside the Boleita National Police detention center after their relatives were arrested during recent opposition protests against the official results of the presidential election in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Police on a motorcycle leave the Boleita National Police detention center where some people arrested during recent opposition protests against the official results of the presidential election are held in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

A woman plays with her dogs in the Santa Rosa de Agua neighborhood of Maracaibo, Venezuela, Monday, July 22, 2024. The country's presidential election is set for July 28. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro holds a news conference at the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, three days after his disputed reelection. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Brazil's flag flies at Argentina's embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. Argentina announced that Brazil will guard its embassy after the Venezuelan government ordered its diplomatic personnel to leave the country after Argentina's government questioned the transparency of the Venezuelan presidential election results. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

The families of detainees gather outside the Boleita's National Police detention center after their loved ones were detained in recent days during opposition protests against the official results of the presidential election in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Franchesca Aponte, left, and her mother Lili Martínez hold hands outside the Boleita National Police detention center after their brother and son was arrested during recent opposition protests against the official results of the presidential election in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

A Venezuelan national holds a sign with a message that reads in Spanish: "Free Venezuela", and "Out Maduro", during a demonstration in support of opposition Venezuelan presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, in front of the Itamaraty Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

VIRGINIA WATER, England (AP) — Three weeks ago, Matthew Baldwin was laughing at himself for mishitting a drive so badly that the ball went between his legs and advanced just one yard in front of the tee markers.

On Friday, the No. 363-ranked journeyman from England was the second-round clubhouse leader by three strokes at the flagship event on the European tour and preparing himself for the biggest weekend of his career.

Baldwin shot 6-under 66 to set an unexpectedly hot pace at the BMW PGA Championship at 13 under, which tied the prestigious tournament’s 36-hole record. Many of Europe's top players, including Rory McIlroy, were having a hard time getting near him.

It's quite the story, with Baldwin having gone through the tour’s qualifying school six times in a turbulent career that, just two years ago, saw him playing on the Challenge Tour — the level below the European tour — and ranked just inside the top 850 in the world. He was back on the main tour last year when he earned his only pro win, at the SDC Championship in South Africa.

This year has been a challenge at times, missing four straight cuts across June and July before finding some form. There was a tie for 12th at the Czech Masters in August and then a tie for 18th at the British Masters — where he experienced that embarrassing incident off the tee.

Asked what he had learned through the tough times of his career, Baldwin said: "That there are more important things in life, I guess.

“At the end of the day, we are all here trying our hardest. At times, my hardest wasn’t good enough. Now I'm in a good place, mentally and physically, and enjoying what I'm doing.”

Baldwin built on his overnight one-shot lead, following a first-round 65, by making seven birdies — including five in six holes from No. 3 — to go along with a dropped shot at No. 11. That is his only bogey so far this week.

“Just playing sensible golf, really,” the 38-year-old Baldwin said of his strategy this week. “I’m trying not to hit it too close, which obviously then forces you — sometimes you can get short-sided and things like that.

“I’ve been putting really well, which has kept momentum going.”

Antoine Rozner of France was the closest challenger to Baldwin after making birdie on each of the final five holes on the West Course to complete a bogey-free 65.

The No. 199-ranked Rozner was alone on 10 under midway through the second round, which experienced a delay of nearly 80 minutes around lunchtime because of thunder and lightning.

“To be very honest with you, I’ve been struggling a little bit with my game,” Rozner said, “so this type of round today was very good.”

Billy Horschel, the 2021 champion, shot 69 and was five strokes behind Baldwin. Tommy Fleetwood (68) was a further shot back.

The No. 3-ranked McIlroy was among the afternoon starters following a first-round 67.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Billy Horschel of the U.S. tees off the 8th during day two of the 2024 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Golf Club in Virginia Water, England, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)

England's Aaron Rai tees off the 8th during day two of the 2024 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Golf Club in Virginia Water, England, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)

England's Marcus Armitage tees off the 8th during day two of the 2024 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Golf Club in Virginia Water, England, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)

Mark Hubbard of the United States chips out of a bunker on the 1st during day two of the 2024 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Golf Club in Virginia Water, England, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)

Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen plays from the 1st fairway during day two of the 2024 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Golf Club in Virginia Water, England, Friday Sept. 20, 2024. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)

England's Matthew Baldwin looks on during day two of the 2024 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Golf Club in Virginia Water, England, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)

England's Matthew Baldwin tees off the 8th during day two of the 2024 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Golf Club in Virginia Water, England, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)