U.S. Raises Serious Concerns Over Venezuela Election Results

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has expressed "serious concerns" about the recent presidential election in Venezuela. Authorities announced that current President Nicolas Maduro won the hotly contested election.

Speaking in Tokyo on Monday, Blinken said the U.S. believes the results do not reflect the will or votes of the Venezuelan people. He urged election officials to publish the full results clearly and immediately. Blinken stressed that the U.S. and the international community are watching closely and will respond accordingly.

“We have serious concerns that the result announced does not reflect the will or the votes of the Venezuelan people,” Blinken stated. He called for every vote to be counted fairly and for election authorities to share information with the opposition and independent observers without delay.

In Venezuela, the announcement of Sunday's election results was delayed for several hours. The National Election Council, controlled by Maduro loyalists, claimed Maduro secured a majority but did not release polling station tallies.

Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was blocked from running. However, she stated that the opposition's candidate, Edmundo González, had an “overwhelming” margin of victory based on voting tallies from about 40% of ballot boxes nationwide.

The situation remains tense as the international community awaits further developments. The transparency and fairness of the election process are under heavy scrutiny, with calls for immediate and clear publication of the results.