Venezuela's political crisis deepened on Saturday as opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia called for an end to violence and persecution following the Supreme Court's announcement that its ruling on the disputed July 28 election cannot be appealed.

Gonzalez Urrutia, who claims to have won the election by a substantial margin, made a public appeal urging President Nicolás Maduro to cease violence and release those detained during the post-election unrest. His statement comes amid ongoing political turmoil and violence, which has reportedly resulted in 24 deaths and 2,200 arrests.

The Venezuelan Supreme Court, which many observers believe is aligned with Maduro's government, announced that its forthcoming ruling will be final and binding. The court began its assessment on August 5, 2024, and its decisions are expected to be conclusive.

Gonzalez Urrutia and key opposition leader María Corina Machado, who was banned from running in the recent election, face investigations for alleged crimes including "inciting disobedience." Both are believed to be in hiding due to fears of arrest. Gonzalez Urrutia's message, posted after a week of public silence, demands respect for the constitution and peaceful demonstrations.

The EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, emphasized that respecting the will of the Venezuelan people is crucial for restoring democracy and addressing Venezuela's political and economic crisis. The EU, along with various Latin American countries and the U.S., is calling for the publication of polling records and an independent verification of the election results.

On August 2, the National Electoral Council (CNE) ratified Maduro's victory, claiming he won 52 percent of the vote. However, the CNE has not released exact vote tallies, citing hacking issues. The opposition has published their own tallies, suggesting Gonzalez Urrutia received 67 percent of the vote, which Maduro's government has dismissed as fabricated.

Maduro has accused opposition claims of hacking as a pretext for not releasing election records, asserting that his systems faced severe cyberattacks. Critics argue that Maduro's reliance on the Supreme Court for validation reflects a lack of faith in the CNE's credibility, which has been undermined by allegations of mismanagement and corruption.

Under Maduro's leadership, Venezuela has experienced severe economic decline, including an 80 percent drop in GDP, and a humanitarian crisis prompting over seven million Venezuelans to flee the country. The crisis continues to strain Venezuela's socio-economic fabric and its relations with the international community.