Maduro is declared winner in Venezuela's presidential election as opposition claims it prevailed
Venezuela’s opposition claimed victory in Sunday’s presidential election, setting up a showdown with the government, which earlier declared President Nicolás Maduro the winner
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela’s opposition claimed victory in Sunday’s presidential election, setting up a showdown with the government, which earlier declared President Nicolás Maduro the winner.
“The Venezuelans and the entire world know what happened,” opposition candidate Edmundo González said in his first remarks.
Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said the margin of González's victory was “overwhelming" based on voting tallies it had received from campaign representatives from about 40% of ballot boxes nationwide.
The National Electoral Council, which is controlled by Maduro loyalists, earlier said Maduro had secured 51% of the vote to 44% for González. But it didn't release the tallies from each of the 30,000 polling booths nationwide, promising only to do so in the “coming hours,” hampering the ability to verify the results.
