Violent protests in Venezuela after the re-election of President Nicolas Maduro. One person died
One person died in the protests that broke out in Venezuela on Monday after the contested re-election of President Nicolas Maduro, announced the NGO Foro Penal, which specializes in the defense of political prisoners, reports AFP.
Law enforcement used tear gas in Caracas to disperse demonstrators protesting the re-election of Nicolas Maduro as president of Venezuela.
We remind you that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro won a third term with 51% of the vote, the country's electoral authority announced on Monday, despite multiple exit polls indicating a victory for the opposition, reports Reuters.
The authority said Edmundo Gonzalez, the opposition candidate, won 44 percent of the vote, although the opposition had previously said it had "reasons to celebrate" and asked supporters to continue monitoring the vote count.
Maduro, who appeared at the presidential palace to cheering supporters, called his re-election a triumph of peace and stability and reiterated his campaign claim that Venezuela's electoral system is transparent.
A poll by Edison Research, known for its US election polls, predicted at the polls that Gonzalez would get 65 percent of the vote, while Maduro would get 31 percent. Local firm Meganalisis predicted a 65% vote for Gonzalez and just under 14% for Maduro.
The votes from about 80% of the ballot boxes were counted, said the president of the National Electoral Council (CNE), Elvis Amoroso, adding that the results were delayed due to an "aggression" against the electoral data transmission system.
The CNE asked the attorney general to investigate "terrorist actions," Amoroso said, adding that turnout was 59 percent.
