Washington says it has ‘serious concerns’ about result, while president of Uruguay says it is open secret Maduro would win ‘whatever real results were’

Among the many international figures weighing in on the situation in Venezuela was the US vice president, Kamala Harris.

“The will of the Venezuelan people must be respected. Despite the many challenges, we will continue to work toward a more democratic, prosperous, and secure future for the people of Venezuela,” she said.

More than a thousand international observers have taken part in the Venezuelan election. The people have spoken and their will should be respected. The right only goes along with democracy when it wins and that is unacceptable.

Nicolás Maduro faces calls to publish transparent breakdown of vote but allies hail his apparent victory

• Venezuela election live – latest updates

Nicolás Maduro’s apparent re-election as Venezuela’s president has been met with scepticism, suspicion and calls for a transparent and detailed breakdown of the vote in Sunday’s controversial poll.

Although the results, released by the government-controlled electoral authority, were immediately hailed by Maduro’s allies in Latin America, they drew a guarded and often accusatory response from others in the region and farther afield.

Result with 80% of votes is immediately challenged by opposition and several governments

Nicolás Maduro has been declared the winner of Venezuela’s presidential election by the government-controlled electoral authority – a result that appeared to dash opposition hopes of ending his authoritarian, socialist rule. It was immediately challenged by rivals and several governments in the region and beyond.

After a six-hour delay in releasing the results of Sunday’s poll prompted international concern, Venezuela’s electoral council claimed Maduro had won with 51.21% of votes compared with 44.2% for his rival, the former diplomat Edmundo González Urrutia.

Head of security for María Corina Machado detained weeks before election in string of arrests of opposition staffers

Less than two weeks before Venezuela’s presidential election, the head of security for a key opposition figure has been arrested, further raising concerns that the country will not see a fair contest on 28 July, when Nicolás Maduro will seek a third term.

María Corina Machado, the opposition’s outspoken figurehead, wrote on X that her security chief, Milciades Ávila, had been detained early on Wednesday, the latest in string of arrests of opposition activists and staffers.

Edmundo González Urrutia, who has never before run for office, hopes for a more ‘democratic and peaceful country’

The soft-spoken septuagenarian who could be on the brink of leading Venezuela into a new political era has promised to build a country of prosperity, democracy and peace if he is elected president, and vowed to govern for all citizens – including supporters of his authoritarian rival Nicolás Maduro.

Retired diplomat Edmundo González Urrutia is leading the polls ahead of the South American country’s 28 July presidential election, despite never having sought elected office and, until recently, being unknown to voters.

Tareck El Aissami latest in purge of politicians, human rights advocates and critics by government of Nicolás Maduro

Venezuela’s former oil minister Tareck El Aissami – once one of President Nicolás Maduro’s closest allies – has been arrested for allegedly participating in an international scheme that syphoned off hundreds of millions of dollars from the country’s state oil company.

The charges against El Aissami are part of a wider government purge that has so far led to charges being brought against more than 50 people, including some of Venezuela’s most important political and business figures.

Corina Yoris will now take on Nicolás Maduro in presidential election in July after Maria Corina Machado stepped aside

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has named her replacement to take on President Nicolás Maduro in the country’s presidential election in July, after the arrest of two of Machado’s close aides.

The naming of Corina Yoris, 80, as the opposition’s candidate comes after Venezuela’s attorney general announced the detention of two of Machado’s closest allies earlier this week and also said arrest warrants had been issued for seven other people, including rumoured Machado replacement, Magalli Meda.