Venezuela opposition has 73% of vote tallies, says its victory is irreversible

By Mariela Nava, Mircely Guanipa and Vivian Sequera

CARACAS/MARACAIBO/MARACAY, Venezuela (Reuters) -Venezuela opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said on Monday that the country’s opposition has 73.2% of the voting tallies from Sunday’s election, allowing it to prove election results it says give it a victory.

Separately, an opposition adviser, one of six living in the Argentine embassy since warrants were issued for their arrests, said on social media that security forces were trying to enter the building.

“Right now, DAET officials are trying to storm the residence of Argentina’s embassy in Caracas where the six asylum seekers from Maria Corina Machado and Edmundo Gonzalez’s campaign are,” Pedro Urruchurtu said in a post on X.

Protesters gathered in towns and cities across Venezuela on Monday after President Nicolas Maduro claimed victory in a tense weekend election, despite growing evidence of a resounding win for the opposition.

During the afternoon crowds appeared in urban streets, as well as outside national electoral authority (CNE) offices across Venezuela.

The CNE said just after midnight that Maduro had won a third term with 51% of the vote, a result that would extend a quarter-century of socialist rule. Later it proclaimed Maduro president for 2025 to 2031, adding he had won “the majority of valid votes.”

But governments in Washington and elsewhere cast doubt on the results and called for a full tabulation of votes.

Independent exit polls pointed to a landslide win for the opposition following enthusiastic shows of support for its presidential candidate Gonzalez and opposition leader Machado on the campaign trail.

Gonzalez said at the same press conference as Machado that the opposition triumph was irreversible.