Presidential elections in Venezuela: Nicolas Maduro re-elected for a third term

President Nicolas Maduro has won Venezuela’s presidential elections.
With 80% of votes counted, the socialist leader won 51% of the vote against 44% for his rival Edmundo González Urrutia of the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), according to results published by the electoral commission.
The results were contested by the Venezuelan opposition, which denounced serious irregularities.
The electoral period was marked by numerous controversies. Opposition leaders denounced numerous irregularities, including the refusal to allow opposition witnesses access to the headquarters of the National Electoral Council (CNE) during the vote count, and alleged stoppages in the transmission of data between local polling stations and the central office. According to them, these actions were aimed at preventing the processing of additional votes.
The United States also expressed “serious concerns” about the election results, which it said “do not reflect the will or votes of the Venezuelan people”. They stressed the importance of a transparent and fair vote count, and urged the CNE to publish its results.
In a statement shortly after the results were published, the US Secretary of State called for transparency in the ballot count. Opposition candidates and observers must have access to the vote-counting process, said Antony Blinken.
Mr. Maduro’s victory follows in the footsteps of “Chavism”, the ideology and political movement launched by former president Hugo Chávez in 1999. Mr. Maduro, who assumed the presidency after Mr. Chávez’s death in 2013, will continue to lead the oil-rich country, which has suffered one of the most severe economic collapses in recent history. Mr. Maduro blames the country’s economic difficulties on foreign sanctions, which he describes as part of an “economic war” against Venezuela.
In Caracas, reactions to the election results were polarized. Supporters of Mr. Maduro celebrated outside the president’s official residence, while opposition supporters expressed their dismay by weeping and hugging in the streets. Many voters had indicated that they would leave the country in the event of Mr. Maduro’s victory, citing the violent repression and economic difficulties encountered under his administration, reported US media outlet CNN.
The run-up to the election was also marked by significant difficulties. The human rights organization Laboratorio de Paz reported that at least 71 people, mostly affiliated with the opposition, were arbitrarily detained during the campaign. In addition, a dozen online media outlets were blocked in the country, raising further concerns about the fairness of the electoral process, reports CNN.