Venezuela’s Supreme Justice Tribunal confirmed President Nicolas Maduro’s victory in the disputed July 28 presidential election, solidifying institutional support for his administration, Reuters reports.
Following the election, Maduro’s administration has been accused of cracking down on dissent, including arrests of opposition figures, investigations into opposition leaders, and tightening controls on NGOs. The Supreme Court’s decision, which cannot be appealed, validated the electoral authority’s declaration that Maduro won with over half the votes, despite the opposition claiming their candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, had received 67% of the vote.
Western countries have urged full publication of the results, while Russia and China congratulated Maduro. The decision grants Maduro another six-year term starting in January, while protests against the government have resulted in at least 23 deaths and over 2,400 arrests.