Isabel Allende, a Chilean senator and daughter of former president Salvador Allende, has delivered a scathing critique of Nicolás Maduro's government in Venezuela, labelling it a "dictatorship in every sense of the word".

In a candid interview with CNN Chile on August 19, Allende, a member of Chile's Socialist Party, emphatically rejected the legitimacy of Venezuela's recent presidential election. "It is obvious that Maduro did not win the election," she stated, describing the electoral process as "completely irregular" and "totally far from international democratic standards".

The senator's comments echo those of Chile's leftist president, Gabriel Boric, who earlier this month refused to recognise Maduro as the victor of the July 28 election, citing suspicions of electoral fraud and saying that the official results were “hard to believe.”

Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE), a body stacked with government loyalists, declared the incumbent re-elected for a third term on July 29 but failed to produce detailed voting data, defying calls for transparency from several countries and international organisations. Meanwhile, the opposition coalition claims its candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, won with about 67% of the votes, based on published voting records from over 80% of vote tally sheets.

Allende, whose father led a socialist government in Chile from 1970 until 1973, when he was overthrown in a US-backed coup by fascist general Augusto Pinochet, was keen to distance her family's political legacy from the current regime in Venezuela. She noted that Maduro's authoritarian practices bear no resemblance to the socialist vision her father attempted to implement in Chile.

Maduro has invoked Allende, who tragically committed suicide during the 1973 coup, as a model and often draws parallels with his own “fight against Yankee imperialism.”

The Chilean leader’s daughter expressed grave concern over the escalating repression in Venezuela following the contested election. "The worst part has begun," she warned, citing "harsh repression" and "unqualified detentions" as evidence of the regime's increasingly authoritarian tactics.

Allende's criticism extends beyond the electoral process, touching on the broader humanitarian crisis unfolding in Venezuela. She highlighted the plight of the estimated 800,000 Venezuelan refugees currently residing in Chile, acknowledging the strain this places on her country's resources.

Despite her harsh words for Maduro, Allende was careful to draw a line between the Venezuelan government and its people. During the CNN interview, she recalled with gratitude the warm support many Chileans received in Venezuela as they fled the ruthless dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet, praising the Venezuelan people as "wonderful" and "supportive" during Chile's darkest hours.

Allende’s remarks deal a new blow to Maduro, as left-leaning figures once close to him, such as Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Brazil's Lula da Silva, increasingly distance themselves from his despotic regime. Her remarks underscore a growing consensus among socialists in the region that Maduro's brand of authoritarian populism is incompatible with their vision of social democracy.

As Venezuela grapples with the fallout from yet another disputed election, Allende's words serve as a stark reminder of the challenges historically facing democracy in Latin America. With no clear resolution in sight, the international community watches on as the country’s political stalemate continues to take a heavy toll on its people.