Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro is facing an international backlash after winning his second six-year term, in a landslide vote marred by an opposition boycott and claims of vote-rigging.
Fourteen countries including Argentina, Brazil and Canada have recalled their ambassadors from Caracas in protest.
The US has imposed new economic sanctions after Sunday’s election.
Venezuela is suffering from food shortages stemming from its economic crisis and voter turnout was low.
US President Donald Trump called for new elections to “end the repression” of Venezuelans.
However Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Maduro on his re-election on Monday, wishing him “success in resolving the social and economic issues facing the country” in a statement.
What was President Maduro’s reaction?
Maduro and his supporters were jubilant. The 55-year-old told cheering crowds outside the presidential palace in Caracas that “the revolution is here to stay!”.
His supporters chanted “let’s go, Nico!” as fireworks went off and confetti was fired in the air.
He also mocked his rival, saying Mr Falcón had been left “groggy” by the knockout victory Maduro had achieved.
And while on the one hand he called for dialogue with the opposition, he also told supporters that “the opposition must leave us alone to govern”.
Previous attempts at dialogue between the opposition and the government have failed.
The opposition, however, is crying foul, the coalition had warned that the election would not be free and fair.
It said the poll had been brought forward from December 2018 to take advantage of disarray within opposition ranks and that some of the most promising candidates had been banned from standing or jailed, while many others had fled the country.
That is why it called for a boycott. The main opposition candidate, Henri Falcón, however broke ranks, arguing Venezuelans should be given a chance to vote Maduro out of office.
Even before the election took place, the United States, Canada, the European Union and a dozen Latin American countries said they would not recognize the results.ow Now Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Costa Rica, Panama and Peru are among those scaling back their diplomatic relations with Caracas.
