Chinese Social Media Reacts to Venezuelan Election Protests

As thousands of people in Venezuela protested the results of Sunday’s election, many in China watched and commented on social media platforms. Despite the tight censorship on Chinese social media, most comments expressed support for incumbent Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. However, videos of the protests spread widely, with some users voicing support for the protesters and subtly criticizing China’s authoritarian government and lack of free elections.

On Weibo, similar to Twitter, comments were veiled in sarcasm. One user remarked, “I never would have expected that they would hold elections,” to which another responded, “There are only a handful of countries that don’t have a general election.”

Some posts sarcastically questioned the purpose of elections in Venezuela, pointing out that they had not implemented “whole-process democracy,” a concept introduced by Chinese leader Xi Jinping in 2019. The Chinese Communist Party has claimed that China’s “full-process democracy” is more comprehensive than Western democracy.

According to the 2023 Global Democracy Index by the Economist Intelligence Unit, Venezuela ranked 142nd out of nearly 170 countries, while China ranked 148th.

Many netizens expressed support for the Venezuelan protesters, with comments like, “You need to fight for and protect your own rights,” and “It’s only a matter of time. The people can’t keep being deceived.”

Both Maduro and opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia have claimed victory. Venezuela’s National Electoral Council declared Maduro the winner with 51% support, granting him a third six-year term. However, Gonzalez claimed he won over 70% of the vote, and independent polling agencies called Maduro’s victory unreliable. Foreign observers and several Latin American governments have urged election authorities to release a full vote count.

Disinformation also spread on Chinese social media, with some users alleging U.S. CIA involvement in the Venezuelan protests. Others sarcastically dismissed these claims, highlighting the improbability of such widespread manipulation.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed “grave concerns” about the election results and called for transparency in the vote count. In contrast, Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated Maduro, reaffirming China’s support for Venezuela’s sovereignty and stability.

Venezuelans unhappy with Maduro’s victory have taken to the streets across the country, including near the presidential palace in Caracas. The Venezuelan Observatory of Social Conflict reported 187 demonstrations in 20 of the country’s 23 states.

Chinese state media have not extensively covered the protests. The Global Times criticized Blinken for his changing stance on the election, although his concern for a genuine reflection of the Venezuelan people’s will remained consistent before and after the vote. Blinken emphasized the importance of honoring commitments and respecting the democratic process.