WORLD
Victory for the 55-year-old former bus driver, who replaced Hugo Chavez after his death from cancer in 2013, may trigger a new round of western sanctions against the socialist government as it grapples with a ruinous economic crisis.
Venezuela's leftist leader Nicolas Maduro won a new six-year term on Sunday, but his main rivals disavowed the election alleging massive irregularities in a process critics decried as a farce propping up a dictatorship.
Victory for the 55-year-old former bus driver, who replaced Hugo Chavez after his death from cancer in 2013, may trigger a new round of western sanctions against the socialist government as it grapples with a ruinous economic crisis.
US President Donald Trump's administration is threatening moves against Venezuela's already reeling oil sector.
Venezuela's election board, run by Maduro loyalists, said he took 5.8 million votes, versus 1.8 million for his closest challenger Henri Falcon, a former governor who broke with an opposition boycott to stand.
"They underestimated me," Maduro told cheering supporters on a stage outside Miraflores presidential palace in downtown Caracas as fireworks sounded and confetti fell on the crowd.
Turnout at the election was just 46.1 percent, the election board said, way down from the 80 percent registered at the last presidential vote in 2013. The opposition said that figure was inflated, putting participation at nearer 30%.
An electoral board source told Reuters 32.3% of eligible voters cast ballots by 6 pm (2200 GMT) as most polls shut.
"The process undoubtedly lacks legitimacy and as such we do not recognize it," said Falcon, a 56-year-old former state governor, looking downcast."
Maduro had welcomed Falcon's candidacy, which gave some legitimacy to a process critics at home and around the world had condemned in advance as the "coronation" of a dictator.
Falcon's quick rejection of Sunday's election, and call for a new vote, was therefore a blow to the government's strategy.
Falcon, a former member of the Socialist Party who went over to the opposition in 2010, said he was outraged at the government's placing of nearly 13,000 pro-government stands called "red spots" close to polling stations nationwide.
Mainly poor Venezuelans were asked to scan state-issued "fatherland cards" at red tents after voting in hope of receiving a "prize" promised by Maduro, which opponents said was akin to vote-buying.
The "fatherland cards" are required to receive benefits including food boxes and money transfers.
A third presidential candidate, evangelical pastor Javier Bertucci, followed Falcon in slamming irregularities during Sunday's vote and calling for a new election.
Despite his unpopularity over a national economic meltdown, Maduro benefited on Sunday not just from the opposition boycott but also from a ban on his two most popular rivals and the liberal use of state resources in his campaign.
His tally, however, fell short of the 10 million votes he had said throughout the campaign he wanted to win.
Fighting 'imperialism'
Maduro, the self-described "son" of Chavez, says he is battling an "imperialist" plot to crush socialism and take over Venezuela's oil. Opponents say he has destroyed a once-wealthy economy and ruthlessly crushed dissent.
Attendance appeared thin in many polling stations visited by Reuters reporters, from wealthy east Caracas to the Andean mountains near Colombia. There were lines, however, at poorer government strongholds, where the majority of voters interviewed said they were backing Maduro.
"I'm hungry and don't have a job, but I'm sticking to Maduro," said Carlos Rincones, 49, in the once-thriving industrial city of Valencia, accusing right-wing business owners of purposefully hiding food and hiking prices.
Many Venezuelans are disillusioned and angry over the election: they criticize Maduro for economic hardships and the opposition for its dysfunctional splits.
Reeling from a fifth year of recession, falling oil production and US sanctions, Venezuela is seeing growing levels of malnutrition and hyperinflation, and mass emigration.
Venezuelan migrants staged small anti-Maduro protests in cities from Madrid to Miami. In the highland city of San Cristobal near Colombia, three cloth dolls representing widely loathed officials - Electoral Council head Tibisay Lucena, Socialist Party No. 2 Diosdado Cabello and Vice President Tareck El Aissami - were hung from a footbridge.
But streets were calm, with children playing soccer on one road in San Cristobal blocked off at past elections to accommodate long voter lines. For many Venezuelans, Sunday was a day to look for scant food or stock up on water, which is increasingly running short because of years of underinvestment.
"I'm not voting - what's the point if we already know the result? I prefer to come here to get water rather than waste my time," said Raul Sanchez, filling a jug from a tap by a busy road in the arid northwestern city of Punto Fijo because his community has not had running water for 26 days.
With the election behind him, Maduro may choose to deepen a purge of critics within the ruling "Chavismo" movement.
He faces a Herculean task to turn around the moribund economy, with the bolivar currency down 99 percent in the past year and inflation at an annual 14,000 percent, according to the National Assembly.
Delhi Air Pollution: Delhi-NCR AQI turns ‘very poor’ as city wakes up to toxic smog post-Diwali
Gautam Adani's next BIG step: Adani Power stops Bangladesh’s power supply due to...
Indian troops start patrolling Demchok sector in eastern Ladakh following India-China disengagement
Amy Jackson announces first pregnancy with husband Ed Westwick, flaunts baby bump in adorable pics
In THIS Indian village, families live with cobras, the reason is...
Hardik Pandya flaunts his special 'World Champion' ring after being retained by MI, video goes viral
Happy Govardhan Puja 2024: Top 50 WhatsApp wishes, messages, quotes for loved ones
A huge star-cast is fine but does this compromise the soul of Singham Again?
Shah Rukh Khan's heartfelt gesture towards jewellery store staff wins internet, watch
DNA TV Show: Public calls out celebrities’ hypocrisy on Diwali pollution
Fashion designer Rohit Bal dies at 63: Last year, he was on ventilator for heart ailments
BCCI scraps India's intra squad warm-up game ahead of Border-Gavaskar Trophy, reason revealed
Legendary fashion designer Rohit Bal dies at 63 after prolonged illness
Another terrorist attack in J-K, militants shoot two non-locals in Budgam
Meet Anish Sarkar, world's youngest FIDE-rated chess player at 3 years
Bigg Boss 18: These two wild cards to enter Salman Khan's show, get into heated argument on stage
Fact check: Did Abhishek Bahchan tie knot with Nimrat Kaur amid divorce rumours with Aishwarya Rai?
Govardhan Puja 2024: History, significance, Puja timings; why it is celebrated after Diwali?
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan Birthday: Kajol pens heartfelt wishes for actress, calls her…
Dhirubhai Ambani played matchmaker for Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani, he did...
Amid Diwali festivities, UPI sets new record in October with transactions over…
PM Modi's BIG attack on Congress: 'Making unreal promises is easy but...'
Singham Again box office collection day 1: Ajay Devgn film beats Kartik Aaryan-starrer, earns Rs...
'Always fun to...': Google CEO Sundar Pichai shares why Diwali is his 'favourite time of the year'
Why Rishabh Pant and Delhi Capitals parted ways ahead of IPL 2025 auction? Report makes huge claim
'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3', 'Singham Again' banned in Saudi Arabia; know why
Delhi Government announces public holiday for THIS festival, find details here
Despite festive season, Rs 7.90 lakh cars lying unsold, it is worth...; here's the reason
'CSK Ne Chaal Chal Di': Ex-India star takes humourous dig at franchise’s decision on MS Dhoni
IPL 2025: 23-year-old Agra cricketer gets staggering salary increase of 6900 per cent, to earn.....
Nita Ambani turns 60: Know Mukesh Ambani's wife's lavish lifestyle, income, houses and more
NASA shares Diwali wishes with a cosmic twist, reveals Hubble image of...
What is an onion bomb? One killed, six injured in firecracker explosion in Andhra Pradesh
Meet IIT-JEE topper with AIR 1, who scored 341 marks in JEE Advanced, went on to pursue...
25 Billion Kilometers and Broken Voice: The Voyager 1 Saga
Mukesh Ambani's superhit plan for Jio users, 2GB data per day, unlimited calls at just Rs...
Bigg Boss 18: Shehzada Dhami out from Salman Khan's show? Here's what we know
Virat Kohli's epic dance move to 'My Name is Lakhan' during IND vs NZ match goes viral, WATCH
Indian man asking Selena Gomez to chant 'Jai Shree Ram' leaves internet furious, video goes viral
Lioness and leopard engage in fierce battle on tree top, what happens next will leave you shocked
OnePlus 13 launched with Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 SoC: Price details, battery and other specifications
Apple CEO Tim Cook shares Diwali photo, gives shoutout to Delhi photographer, post goes viral
LPG commercial cylinder price hiked from November 1; check revised rates in your city
Swiggy's next BIG step, set to challenge Mukesh Ambani in…
Singham Again review: A solid Ajay Devgn headlines Rohit Shetty's biggest entertainer
Bibek Debroy, noted economist and PM Modi's Economic Council Chairman, dies at 69
Bank Holidays In November 2024: Banks to remain closed for 12 days, state-wise list here
No respite for citizens, Delhi registers warmest October in 73 years
Girl's jalebi-rum cocktail video goes viral, social media says 'uff moment', WATCH
Good news for Gautam Adani, as he gets richer by Rs 39,000 crore in a week due to...
US Defence Secretary Austin discusses 'regional de-escalation' with Israeli counterpart Gallant
Govardhan Puja 2024: Shubh muhurat, rituals, significance of Annukut
Singham Again first cut review by DNA: Ajay Devgn leads an explosive film in style
Diwali 2024: Check Lakshmi Puja muhurat, timing, rituals for November 1
Ratan Tata's Will: Who will get Tata's beachfront Colaba residence, luxury car collection?