Maduro declared winner of Venezuelan presidentional election
President Nicolás Maduro, according to the electoral council, has won the presidency of Venezuela. Electoral council head Elvis Amoroso announced in the night after the counting of 80 percent of the cast votes that Maduro received a majority of 51.2 percent. Opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia reportedly received 44.2 percent. Amoroso described the result as "irreversible."
There were reports of sporadic incidents during the presidential election. Observers and the opposition reported numerous irregularities and intimidation attempts during the vote counting by the electoral council. In the capital Caracas, there were scuffles between supporters of the ruling party and the opposition near a polling station. Armed pro-government motorcycle groups, known as "Colectivos," were reported in several states.
Despite these incidents, the election, according to the Attorney General Tarek Saab, was largely peaceful. The voter turnout, according to the largest polling station in Caracas, was around 50 percent, while the opposition had predicted a similar turnout of about 55 percent nationwide.
The opposition, led by candidate Edmundo González, had previously warned of possible irregularities and urged their observers to remain in the polling stations until the end of the vote counting. The main opposition observer, Delsa Solorzano, was, however, prevented from entering the electoral council building.
President Nicolas Maduro had previously warned of a "bloodbath" in the event of a loss. His re-election in 2018 was not recognized internationally. Both sides called for recognition of the official election results. The election is considered the most important since a quarter-century of socialist rule in Venezuela. The oil-rich country is suffering from a severe economic crisis and the emigration of approximately one-third of the population.
Following the announcement of his victory, President Nicolás Maduro faced criticism from the opposition due to alleged irregularities during the elections in Venezuela. Despite Maduro's victory, Edmundo González, his main opponent, argued that the politics surrounding the election process were questionable.
