EU joins refusals to recognize Maduro as Venezuela vote winner

EU joins US in refusing to recognize Maduro's win in disputed Venezuelan election, urging transparency and independent verification.

The European Union heaped further international pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, joining Washington and Latin American nations in refusing to recognize the win he has claimed in the recent election marked by fraud allegations.

The latest rejection comes as Venezuela's opposition backed outside calls for the results of last week's disputed presidential vote to be published, as the Pope said Venezuelans must "seek the truth" and warned against further violence.

The results published by Venezuela's National Electoral Council on August 2 "cannot be recognised," the EU Council said in a statement.

"Any attempt to delay the full publication of the official voting records will only cast further doubt" on their credibility, it said.

The country's election authority says the July 28 vote was won by incumbent Mr. Maduro, a result that defied pre-election polls and ignited protests that rights group say have left 11 people dead so far and thousands arrested.

A growing number of nations, including the United States and Argentina, say the election was won by opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia.

EU states France, Germany, Italy and Spain are among those that have urged transparency, calling on authorities to release detailed vote tallies.