Nicolas Maduro criticizes White House chief diplomat Antony Blinken for backing opposition allegations of fraud, after the U.S. official said in a statement that there was “overwhelming evidence” of a victory by opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia in the presidential elections, AFP reports.

 

Venezuelan authorities on Friday ratified Nicolas Maduro’s election victory as a growing number of nations recognized his opposition rival as the true winner.

 

Gripped by anxiety after Sunday’s disputed presidential vote, the oil-rich nation braced for fresh protests as both Maduro and the opposition called for their supporters to demonstrate this weekend.

 

Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama and Uruguay on Friday recognized opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as the president-elect of Venezuela, joining the United States and Peru in rejecting the official results.

 

Venezuela’s election authority meanwhile ratified Maduro’s win with 52 per cent of the vote and said Gonzalez Urrutia had garnered 43 pe rcent of ballots.

 

Maduro, 61, has reacted fiercely to criticism of his victory and threatened opposition leader Maria Corina Machado and her presidential candidate Gonzalez Urrutia, saying they “should be behind bars.” Gonzalez Urrutia did not show up to a hearing at the Supreme Court after Maduro requested the tribunal investigate and certify the election result. However, other opposition candidates summoned to the hearing called for a detailed vote count to be made public.

 

Voting records “are fundamental for transparency, they are fundamental for peace,” said Enrique Marquez, who also ran against Maduro, as part of a smaller opposition group.