Opposition leaders dispute incumbent president’s defeat of main challenger Edmundo Gonzalez with 51 per cent of votes
Venezuelan security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets Monday at protesters challenging the reelection victory claimed by President Nicolas Maduro but disputed by the opposition and questioned abroad.
The council’s results widely contradicted exit polling of voters that showed González winning by a large margin.
The presumptive Democratic nominee in the 2024 presidential race faces difficult paths to navigate after Maduro was declared the winner on Sunday, most importantly because the result may lead to what one expert told Newsweek said was likely to be a surge in migration from Venezuelans fleeing his regime.