٠٠:٠١:٤٢Venezuela's main opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado claimed victory in the presidential election in Caracas on Sunday, despite the National Electoral Council announcing that incumbent Nicolas Maduro had won a third consecutive term in office.
"We won and everyone knows it” claimed Machado. "In the coming days we will continue to announce actions to defend the truth."
"All the rules have been violated here, to the point that the majority of the ballots have not even been delivered," alleged Gonzalez. "Our message of reconciliation and peaceful change is still valid and we are convinced that the great majority of Venezuelans aspire to it as well.”
Neither provided any evidence of electoral malpractice. Earlier, the National Electoral Council reported that with 80 percent of the ballots counted, Maduro had received 51 percent to Gonzalez's 44 percent. Maduro has been in power since 2013, while his United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) has governed the country since 2007.
Gonzalez, a 74-year-old former diplomat, became the main opposition candidate after Machado was banned from taking part amid corruption allegations which she denies. Around 17 million people were eligible to vote.
‘We won and everyone knows it!’ - Venezuelan opposition rejects presidential election results as Maduro celebrates
Venezuela's main opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado claimed victory in the presidential election in Caracas on Sunday, despite the National Electoral Council announcing that incumbent Nicolas Maduro had won a third consecutive term in office.
"We won and everyone knows it” claimed Machado. "In the coming days we will continue to announce actions to defend the truth."
"All the rules have been violated here, to the point that the majority of the ballots have not even been delivered," alleged Gonzalez. "Our message of reconciliation and peaceful change is still valid and we are convinced that the great majority of Venezuelans aspire to it as well.”
Neither provided any evidence of electoral malpractice. Earlier, the National Electoral Council reported that with 80 percent of the ballots counted, Maduro had received 51 percent to Gonzalez's 44 percent. Maduro has been in power since 2013, while his United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) has governed the country since 2007.
Gonzalez, a 74-year-old former diplomat, became the main opposition candidate after Machado was banned from taking part amid corruption allegations which she denies. Around 17 million people were eligible to vote.
Venezuela's main opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado claimed victory in the presidential election in Caracas on Sunday, despite the National Electoral Council announcing that incumbent Nicolas Maduro had won a third consecutive term in office.
"We won and everyone knows it” claimed Machado. "In the coming days we will continue to announce actions to defend the truth."
"All the rules have been violated here, to the point that the majority of the ballots have not even been delivered," alleged Gonzalez. "Our message of reconciliation and peaceful change is still valid and we are convinced that the great majority of Venezuelans aspire to it as well.”
Neither provided any evidence of electoral malpractice. Earlier, the National Electoral Council reported that with 80 percent of the ballots counted, Maduro had received 51 percent to Gonzalez's 44 percent. Maduro has been in power since 2013, while his United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) has governed the country since 2007.
Gonzalez, a 74-year-old former diplomat, became the main opposition candidate after Machado was banned from taking part amid corruption allegations which she denies. Around 17 million people were eligible to vote.