Venezuela strongman Nicolas Maduro reelected as president, election authorities say
With 80% of votes counted, the longtime strongman won more than 51% of the vote, besting theDemocratic Unitary Platform (PUD) candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, who gained more than 44%,according to a statement by the National Electoral Council (CNE).
Maduro will hold office for a third consecutive six-year term – representing the continuity of “Chavismo” in power, which started in 1999 at the hands of former president Hugo Chávez.
Maduro has been in power since Chávez’s death in 2013.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
The victory of Maduro in the election means his policies will continue to shape the world's view of Venezuela for the foreseeable future. Despite his win, tensions between Venezuela and its neighbors in the Americas remain high due to political and economic disagreements.
