• Venezuelan court upholds Maduro’s victory and cannot be appealed
• The court’s decision has been criticised by the UN
• There have been widespread accusations of voter fraud during July election
• Western countries have called on the authorities to publish the voting tallies in full
• The dubious election has led to widespread protests

Venezuelan Court Upholds Maduro’s Victory

Caracas, Venezuela – The Venezuelan Supreme Tribunal of Justice has upheld the re-election of President Nicolás Maduro, despite widespread accusations of voter fraud during the July elections.

The court’s decision has been criticised by the United Nations, which has warned of the court’s lack of independence and impartiality. 

Announcing the court ruling, TSJ head Caryslia Rodríguez said: “The electoral material assessed is certified unobjectionably and the results of the presidential election of 28 July released by the National Electoral Council (CNE), where Nicolás Maduro was elected president of the republic, are validated.”

The decision could not be appealed, she said.

The opposition has rejected the election results, claiming that their candidate, Edmundo González, won the election. They say the tallies prove González won comfortably and they have published copies collected by their election observers on the internet. The documents, reviewed by independent experts and media, suggest González won 67% of the vote compared with Maduro’s 30%.

Several Western countries have called on the Venezuelan authorities to publish the voting tallies in full. 

Since the election, there have been widespread protests and unrest in Venezuela. Several protesters have been killed, and thousands have been arrested. The Maduro government has also taken steps to suppress dissent, including passing laws that restrict the activities of non-governmental organisations and targeting opposition leaders.