Blinken: Overwhelming evidence Venezuela opposition won election

Last Sunday, the electoral council, which is government-controlled, announced President Maduro had won the election for a third term.

But this was immediately disputed by the opposition who said, with access to the majority of receipts from electronic voting machines around the country, it was false.

The opposition has said its own vote tally shows it won the election by a wide margin. Opinion polls ahead of the election had suggested a clear victory for the challenger.

President Maduro has previously accused foreign governments of interfering in the election.

He has strongly denied electoral fraud and has said the opposition has instigated a coup by disputing the result.

The announcement of President Maduro’s victory set off deadly protests in Caracas.

It has also attracted global criticism, with many governments around the world demanding the Venezuelan government release proof of the result.