At Maduro request, Venezuelan court launches audit of election results
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The court has summoned all 10 presidential candidates to provide testimony before the Electoral Chamber on August 2.
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Supporters of Venezuelan Nicolas Maduro take part in a rally against the secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Luis Almagro in Caracas on March 28, 2017. (AFP)
Venezuela's Supreme Court has initiated an audit of the presidential election results and summoned all candidates for testimony, following calls from opposition activists and international supporters for a vote recount.
The audit was requested by President Nicolas Maduro, who filed a constitutional protection lawsuit with the Electoral Chamber of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice on Wednesday, asserting electoral interference.
"[The court] has accepted, supported and initiated an investigation and verification process in order to ultimately determine the results of the election," the statement released on Thursday read.
The court has summoned all 10 presidential candidates to provide testimony before the Electoral Chamber on August 2.
Russian observers: Maduro's victory in Venezuela is legitimate, says lawmaker
Russian observers who monitored the Venezuelan presidential election have affirmed that President Nicolas Maduro's victory is legitimate and represents the will of the people, according to Russian parliamentary speaker Vyacheslav Volodin.
"Citizens voted for the incumbent president, Maduro. By the way, our observers suggest that he won legitimately, although by a narrow margin," Volodin wrote on social media.
He also mentioned that the Venezuelan government has sought a compromise and dialogue with all parties involved in the election process, including the United States, which had promised to lift sanctions if US-backed opposition politicians were permitted to run for president.
"The election was held on these conditions but produced a different outcome than the one expected by Washington. The result is known: unrest in Caracas, attempts to destabilize the situation in the country through the White House-sponsored opposition," Volodin stressed.
It is worth noting that the National Electoral Council declared Maduro a winner of the July 28 election with 51% of the vote. Western-backed riots broke out the day after the election, leading to clashes between the police and protesters in Caracas. The Venezuelan government said a number of countries interfered in the elections and the people's right to self-determination.
