Nicolas Maduro has won another term as Venezuela’s president for the third time in a row, remaining in office with 51% percent of the vote as per Venezuela’s election authority. In a televised statement, national electoral council (CNE) president Elvis Amoroso announced that approximately 80% of the ballot boxes have been counted. He explained that the delay in results was due to an “aggression” against the electoral data transmission system.

The victory comes as a relief to many in the country but as a disheartening defeat by the opposition led by Edmundo Gonzales and Maria Corina Machado, both of whom have contested the legitimacy of the election. An exit poll conducted by Edison Research, a firm recognized for its U.S. election polling, had forecasted that Gonzalez would receive 65% of the vote, while Maduro was projected to secure 31%.

Earlier, opposition leaders stated that the voters had chosen to change from 25 years of socialist rule.

Source: Reuters