Just after midnight, the National Electoral Council announced that Nicolas Maduro had won 51 pc of vote, defeating opposition candidate Edmundo González
Nicolas Maduro was elected for a third term/ PTI
Nicolas Maduro was proclaimed the victor of Venezuela's presidential election on Sunday, despite the opposition's preparations to challenge the results. The outcome sets the stage for a critical showdown that might determine the South American country's future political environment.
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Just after midnight, the National Electoral Council announced that Maduro had won 51 per cent of the vote, defeating opposition candidate Edmundo González, who received 44 per cent. These findings were based on 80 per cent of voting stations, demonstrating an irreversible trend, reported the Associated Press.
However, the electoral body, which is dominated by Maduro supporters, did not reveal official tallies from all 15,797 voting locations, restricting the opposition's ability to challenge the results using evidence from only 30 per cent of the ballot boxes, the AP report added.
According to the news agency report, he six-hour delay in revealing the results after the polls closed showed internal government disagreements about how to proceed after opposition leaders prematurely declared victory.
Opposition leaders believed González had a big advantage over Maduro based on polling station tallies. The opposition's confidence was palpable as they hailed González's seeming landslide victory, the report added.
In seeking a third term, Maduro faced a serious challenge from González, a retired diplomat who emerged as a last-minute contender after opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was prevented from competing. Opposition leaders had congregated to support González, celebrating their perceived success.
On social media, US Vice President Kamala Harris voiced her support for the Venezuelan people and urged others to respect the election results.
Venezuelans voted early, with some lined up before daybreak. The election occurred on what would have been former President Hugo Chávez's 70th birthday, emphasising its historical significance, the report added.
According to the report, the results of this election could have far-reaching consequences throughout the Americas. Many Venezuelans, disillusioned with Maduro's policies, are considering joining the 7.7 million countrymen who have already fled the nation. Maduro's administration has received criticism for its handling of the economy, which has suffered as a result of falling oil prices, hyperinflation, and chronic shortages.
After years of internal disagreements and election boycotts, the opposition was able to rally behind a single candidate. However, Maduro's regime prevented Machado from running and stymied other opposition campaigns, the report added.
Following his vote, Maduro promised to follow the election results and asked other contenders to do the same, claiming that no one would cause anarchy in Venezuela.
Despite having the world's largest proven oil reserves, Venezuela's economy has deteriorated under Maduro's leadership, with economic sanctions from the US worsening the situation. Maduro's campaign emphasised economic recovery, but many Venezuelans have experienced little improvement in their living conditions. González and Machado focused their campaign on Venezuela's hinterlands, promising job growth and the repatriation of expatriate Venezuelans. As the situation develops, Venezuela is set for a time of high political activity and potential instability.
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