Congress finally certified Biden’s electoral victory – telam

The United States Congress ratified Democrat Joe Biden as the winner of the presidential election, after violent protesters stormed the Capitol in an attempt to reverse the election outcome, undermine the country’s democracy and allow outgoing Republican President Donald Trump. , still at the White House.

With the country still rocked by riots, which left four dead, Republican Vice President Mike Pence certified the vote of 306 voters in favor of the Democratic candidate, against 232 for Trump.

After the chaos wreaked Wednesday by supporters of the outgoing president for hours until their expulsion by police, lawmakers decided to continue Wednesday evening with the process of validating the elections, in a sample for the country and the world of their engagement with the will of the voters and a peaceful transfer of power.

The process was conducted with the nation on high alert and the city of Washington under an unusual curfew decreed after the riots, which left four people dead.

The process was conducted with the nation on high alert and the city of Washington under an unusual curfew decreed after the riots, which left four people dead.“

Trump, who refused to accept defeat, said in a statement immediately after the vote that there would be an orderly transition on Biden’s inauguration day, Jan.20,

“Although I totally disagree with the outcome of these elections and the facts support me, there will be a transition in order on January 20,” he said in a statement, the agency reported. AFP press release.

“This represents the end of one of the best early presidential terms and it is only the beginning of our fight to restore America to its greatness,” he added.

The ratification came after a day with little precedent in U.S. political history, with the Capitol being besieged by Trump supporters and lawmakers seeking refuge under desks and protected by gas masks as police attempted to erect barricades around the building. Congress.

A woman has died after being shot in the chest inside the Capitol and three other people have died near Congress “medical emergencies,” police said.

The protest was called and encouraged by Trump himself, who for weeks has been making bogus complaints about the transparency of the November 3 election, in which he was beaten by Biden.

The ratification came after an unprecedented day in U.S. political history, with the Capitol under siege by Trump supporters and lawmakers seeking refuge under desks.“

The session was already extraordinary due to the fact that several Republican lawmakers raised objections to the results when proceedings had to be halted by the violent eruption of Trump supporters.

The protests and objections by Republican lawmakers posed an unthinkable challenge to democratic principles and exposed deep divisions in the United States, which deepened significantly during Trump’s four years in the White House.

Congress reconsidered after dark, amid condemnation from protests from lawmakers on both sides and with the determination to certify Biden’s triumph, even though it took all night.

Pence reopened the proceedings in the Senate, addressing the protesters directly: “You did not win,” he said.

Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell said the “failed insurgency” underscored Congress’ duty to confirm Biden’s victory.

The outgoing president emboldened his supporters hours before the violence with a morning rally outside the White House where he urged them to march to Capitol Hill.“

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, said Congress must show the world “what America is made of” and complete its certification work.

The outgoing president emboldened his supporters hours before the violence with a morning rally outside the White House where he urged them to march to Capitol Hill.

At the behest of his advisers and the Oval Room of the White House, Trump posted a few tweets and recorded a video in which he called on the protesters to “come home in peace”, although he also supports their cause.

With a grim face, President-elect Biden said the country’s democracy was “under an unprecedented assault,” a sentiment shared by many lawmakers in Congress.

The deceased woman was part of a crowd that stormed Congress and smashed a barricade that protected a room where armed police were present, police said.

She was shot in the chest by agents from the Capitol and taken to hospital where she died. Three other people, a woman and two men, died near the Capitol “as a result of medical emergencies”.