Maduro was elected president despite opposition claims

Yesterday the National Electoral Council (CNE) proclaimed Nicolas Maduro Moros as president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in less than 24 hours after the elections, ignoring the request for recount of votes sent by the opposition leader Henrique Capriles.

On her behalf, president of the CNE, Tibisay Lucena, said that Venezuela’s electoral system is safe and efficient, and with that argument, she dismissed the claim made by Capriles, and simply recommended the use of legal institutions to make claims.

Not only Capriles complained on the democratic system in Venezuela, the Organization of American States, the United States and Spain, also supported the request to review the votes from last Sunday’s elections.

Lucena, who believes that “Venezuela has the liveliest democracy in Latin America“, said that “those who criticize the system, do it because they do not know it and are getting too close to the internal affairs of the country (…) To not accept the results is to question an election that have been developed with transparency. ”

Maduro obtained 7,559,349 votes and Capriles got 7,296,876, which represents a difference of just 262,473 votes. Given the results, Maduro insisted that  the people’s will should be respected and also democracy, and warned that the right-wing movement has prepared a coup against him.

Capriles will be investigated over violence in Venezuela

After Capriles’ call of a “pots and pans” protest to not accept Maduro’s proclamation as President, violent incidents were raised throughout the country, creating clashes between government supporters and opponents that left two torched ruling party headquarters and four dead: two in the Miranda state, one in Tachira and one in Zulia.

Clashes between government supporters and opponents. Police Officers keep them separated.

“Say no to the fraud” billboards. Capriles’ followers carry them through the streets of Venezuela.

President of the National Assembly of Venezuela, Diosdado Cabello, announced that he will ask the Parliament for an investigation against Henrique Capriles Radonski, over the acts of violence reported yesterday.

Meanwhile, Maduro said: “Is that the Venezuela you want? Is that the Venezuela you are going to promote loser candidate? You are responsible for this burn, I make you responsible for this burn (…) and if there are injured or killed, you are responsible, “he said.