Maduro claims victory in disputed vote

CARACAS

President Nicolas Maduro has claimed a landslide victory in closely watched regional elections in Venezuela, based on official results that the opposition immediately rejected.

Maduro's socialist party won governorships in 17 of the 23 states, with the opposition Democratic Union Roundtable (MUD) coalition taking five and one state still undecided, the National Elections Council announced Oct. 15.

"We do not recognize any of the results at this time," said the MUD's campaign director Gerardo Blyde, who demanded a full audit of the vote.

Maduro said his government had scored an "emphatic victory" over its rivals, with his socialists still in line to take one further state where the results were still in dispute early yesterday. Maduro and his allies held 20 outgoing governorships.

An ebullient Maduro told supporters that "Chavismo,” the brand of socialism he inherited from president Hugo Chavez in 2013, had won the popular vote across the country.