Venezuelan electoral council says U.N. report on vote ‘rife with lies’
The Hindu
Venezuela's CNE faces backlash over disputed election results, sparking protests and international condemnation, including from the UN.
Venezuela's CNE electoral council, under fire after declaring a widely rejected election victory for President Nicolas Maduro, on Wednesday (August 14, 2024) described a U.N. report disputing the outcome as "rife with lies."
The CNE proclaimed Mr. Maduro the winner with 52% of votes cast in a July 28 poll, without providing a detailed breakdown.
Mr. Maduro's victory has been rejected by the opposition, the United States, European Union and several Latin American countries.
Anti-Maduro protests in Venezuela have claimed 25 lives so far, with dozens injured and more than 2,400 arrested.
A preliminary report published Tuesday by a panel of U.N. elections experts found the CNE "fell short of the basic transparency and integrity measures."
The CNE hit back Wednesday, saying the U.N. report was "rife with lies and contradictions" and insisting a "cyber-terrorist attack" has prevented it from disclosing a full breakdown of polling-station-level results after what it termed an "impeccable and transparent electoral process."
The CNE website has been down since election day.
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