Venezuelan officials ratify Maduro win, as more nations recognise rival as victor
- Venezuela’s election authority ratified Maduro’s win with 52 per cent of the vote and said Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia had 43 per cent of ballots
Venezuelan authorities on Friday ratified Nicolas Maduro’s election victory, as a growing number of nations recognised his opposition rival as the true winner.
Gripped by anxiety after Sunday’s disputed presidential vote, the oil-rich nation braced for fresh protests as both Maduro and the opposition called for their supporters to demonstrate this weekend.
Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama and Uruguay on Friday recognised opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as the president-elect of Venezuela, joining the United States and Peru in rejecting the official results.
Venezuela’s election authority meanwhile ratified Maduro’s win with 52 per cent of the vote and said Gonzalez Urrutia had garnered 43 per cent of ballots.
Maduro, 61, has reacted fiercely to criticism of his victory and threatened opposition leader Maria Corina Machado and her presidential candidate Gonzalez Urrutia, saying they “should be behind bars.”
Gonzalez Urrutia did not show up to a hearing at the Supreme Court after Maduro requested the tribunal to investigate and certify the election result.
