Venezuelan president’s election victory condemned worldwide

EMBATTLED SOCIALIST incumbent Nicolas Maduro has won Venezuela’s presidential election by a landslide in a disputed vote marred by irregularities and mass absenteeism that led his main rivals to call for a re-run.

The National Election Council announced that with more than 92 per cent of polling stations reporting, Mr Maduro won nearly 68 per cent of the votes on Sunday, beating his nearest challenger Henri Falcon by more than 40 points.

As the results were being announced, residents of Caracas protested just a few blocks from where Mr Maduro’s supporters were celebrating. Mr Falcon accused the government of buying votes and dirty tricks to boost turnout among poor voters most hurt by widespread food shortages and hyperinflation in what was once Latin America’s wealthiest nation. The election “without any doubt lacks legitimacy and we categorically refuse to recognise this process”, Mr Falcon told supporters before the results were announced.

The disputed victory is likely to heighten pressure on Mr Maduro. Even as voting was taking place on Sunday, a senior US official said the Trump administration might press ahead on threats of imposing crippling oil sanctions, and secretary of state Mike Pompeo warned “sham elections change nothing”.

A coalition of 14 nations from throughout the Americas, including Brazil, Mexico and Colombia, announced they would not recognise the result and pledged to ramp up diplomatic and economic pressure on Venezuela.

The European Union had already imposed sanctions on seven top Venezuelan officials including the head of the pro-government election council.

The government of Spain added its voice to a chorus of international condemnation.

Mr Falcon was joined in his demand for a new election by thirdplace finisher TV evangelist Javier Bertucci. Mr Bertucci blamed an opposition boycott for the poor result.