Venezuelans reject President Nicolás Maduro's victory, echoing global skepticism over the election results
Caracas: The people of Venezuela rejected the victory of President Nicolás Maduro, doubts have been expressed on the election results at the international level.
According to foreign media reports, protests have erupted in the South American country of Venezuela after the election results were announced, with the people refusing to accept the results of President Nicolás Maduro winning the election for a third term.
People have taken to the streets, and protests against President Maduro's victory have begun. There have been violent clashes between the public and the police in various areas of the capital, statues of several leaders have been toppled, and security forces have dispersed the protesters. They used tear gas and rubber bullets.
Protesters tore down and burned posters of President Maduro, while also burning tires, cars and garbage.
Thousands took to the streets of the capital Caracas on Monday chanting "freedom, freedom" and "this government is going to fall", as the opposition questioned the official results announced by the electoral commission. And many countries around the world also expressed doubts about it.
Meanwhile, the National Electoral Council (CNE) has confirmed Maduro's re-election for a third six-year term until 2031. People toppled statues of the late socialist leader Hugo Chavez, who had chosen Maduro as his successor.
Opposition leader María Corina Machado told reporters that a review of voting records available so far clearly shows that the next president is Edmundo González Urrutia, whose path has been blocked by Maduro's courts.
On the other hand, Venezuela has severed diplomatic relations with Argentina, Costa Rica, Peru, Panama and Uruguay, and has also decided to recall its diplomats from Latin American countries. Maduro dismissed international criticism and skepticism about the results, claiming that Venezuela was the target of an attempted "coup" of a "fascist" nature.