Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has been declared the winner of a 3rd time period, securing 51% of the vote, based on the nation’s electoral authority. The announcement got here simply after midnight on Monday, regardless of a number of exit polls suggesting an opposition victory.
Opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez garnered 44% of the vote. Earlier within the night, opposition leaders had expressed optimism, with Gonzalez declaring on social media, “The outcomes can’t be hidden. The nation has peacefully chosen a change.”
Maria Corina Machado, a distinguished opposition chief, referred to as on the navy to respect the desire of the folks. “The folks of Venezuela have spoken: they do not need Maduro. It’s time to put yourselves on the best facet of historical past,” she acknowledged.
Venezeula’s military will stand by Maduro
Nevertheless, Venezuela‘s navy, traditionally loyal to Maduro, reveals no indicators of shifting allegiance. Maduro, a 61-year-old former bus driver and overseas minister, has maintained robust assist from the armed forces all through his presidency.
Exit polls had indicated a distinct end result. Edison Analysis predicted Gonzalez would win 65% of the vote, whereas Maduro would obtain 31%. Equally, native agency Meganalisis projected Gonzalez at 65% and Maduro at just below 14%.
Elvis Amoroso, president of the nationwide electoral council (CNE), introduced that roughly 80% of poll bins had been counted. He attributed delays in outcomes to an “aggression” towards the electoral information transmission system, with out offering additional particulars.
The opposition’s earlier confidence and the stark distinction between exit polls and official outcomes have fueled tensions and raised questions in regards to the electoral course of. Because the nation reacts to the result, the main target stays on whether or not any shifts in navy assist will emerge and the way the opposition will reply within the coming days.
