Venezuela Präsident Nicolas Maduro vom Parlament mit Sondervollmachten ausgestattet
Venezuela's president, Nicolas Maduro, was declared the victor of Sunday's presidential elections with nearly 70% of the votes but only 46% turned out for the widely-recognised fraudulent ballot, meaning he was only elected by about a third of the population. The main opposition coalition called for a boycott, saying the election was a sham.
"The illegitimate result of this fake process is a further blow to the proud democratic tradition of Venezuela", he said in a statement. It said he defeated Henri Falcon by more than 40 points.
Mr Maduro won 68 per cent of the votes cast, according to the electoral commission that is packed with government loyalists.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said the position taken by the United States and its allies in rejecting Maduro's reelection set a "dangerous precedent" in which "the electoral process does not depend on the position of global observers but on the points of view put forward ahead of time by certain states".
Luis Emilio Rondon, the sole opposition voice on the electoral council, backed Falcon and Bertucci's claims of irregularities and said he too refused to recognize the results.
The moves by Ottawa come as countries around the world increase their pressure on the already embattled Venezuelan government, which is accused of failing to provide its citizens with a fair, democratic and transparent process. The worldwide community also has strong concerns over Venezuela's deepening economic and humanitarian crises.
On Saturday, the US ramped up pressure on Caracas by imposing new sanctions against the government's top officials.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza was quick to decry the freshest round of U.S. sanctions, describing them as "illegal measures".
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He also slammed Falcon, who like him was an acolyte of the late President Hugo Chavez.
"Real solutions to the economic and humanitarian crisis are unlikely to be forthcoming", said Capital Economics. Yet it also leaves Maduro's opponents even more dependent on global pressure seeking to force change in this South American oil-exporting nation where people struggle to find food and are migrating in mass. As the economy suffers for a third year, some Venezuelans are forced to forage for food.
Maduro called for discussions with his defeated opponents, but he showed no sign of wanting new elections. "It doesn't faze me when they say I'm a dictator".
While the order applies only to U.S. citizens and residents, the official said the Trump administration had had "fairly pointed discussions" with China and Russian Federation over the issuing of new credit to Venezuela.
While the Venezuelan vote was not on the G-20 official agenda, Mr. Maduro did not find a single backer among the diplomats representing 19 major industrialized nations, the European Union, and invited countries such as Chile, Spain and the Netherlands. Its oil production is at its lowest level in 30 years.
But he said that in the event of a new vote, Maduro should do the courageous thing and desist from running.
The Associated Press reported this story.
We want to hear from you. Hai Do adapted the report for VOA Learning English. Write to us in the Comments Section.
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