Maduro: 'International Zionism' behind civil unrest in Venezuela

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro claimed in a Saturday address that Zionists were the masterminds behind civil unrest in Venezuela that followed the disputed July 28 elections.

He claimed that Venezuela's "extremist right," as to his own left-wing party, was "financed" and "supported by international Zionism."

"All the communication power of Zionism, who controls all social networks, the satellites, and all the power behind this coup d'état.

US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Deborah Lipstadt on Monday condemned Maduro's allegations as "absurd" and antisemitic.

"The Venezuelan people have gone to the streets to peacefully call for their votes to be counted," Lipstadt said on social media. "We reject all forms of antisemitism, and the use of these types of age-old tropes fans the flames of Jew hatred in Latin America and throughout the world."

Protesters disputed claims of election victory 

Protesters have taken to the streets to dispute Maduro's claims that he won a third term on last Sunday's elections. Reuters reported Tuesday that security forces have been arresting alleged violent rioters. Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado issued a statement on Monday calling for police and other security forces not to oppress the protesters by to stand by them.

Venezuela's electoral authority claimed that Maduro was reelected with 51% of the vote, Reuters reported. Corina Machado said in her statement that the opposition had won the election with 67% to Maduro's 30%. Attorney-General Tarek Saab announced that his office had opened a criminal investigation into opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez and Corina Machado for allegedly falsely claiming to have won the election and for inciting the police and military to disobey the law.