Venezuelans march over contested election, number of detained rises

Thousands of Venezuelans marched across the South American country over its contested election, as President Nicolas Maduro told supporters some 2,000 people had been arrested during protests against the results, Report informs via Reuters.

Venezuela's electoral authority, blasted by critics as favoring the ruling socialists, proclaimed Maduro the winner in last Sunday's vote, saying on Monday he obtained 51% compared to 46% for opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez. The authority reaffirmed a similar margin on Friday.

The published election result sparked widespread allegations of fraud and protests. Subsequently security forces cracked down on protests which Maduro's government labeled part of an attempted US-backed coup.

"This time there will be no forgiveness," Maduro told supporters at a rally in Caracas, where he said some 2,000 people had been detained in connection to "crimes" during the protests. He pledged "maximum punishment."

Maduro's supporters said they were defending democracy.

"Today we are here heeding the call of our president … to defend democracy," Alfredo Valera, president of Venezuela's Fontur union, who took part in a pro-government caravan in Caracas, told state television.

Elsewhere, opposition supporters marched to demand justice, buoyed by the presence of leader Maria Corina Machado, who emerged from hiding on Saturday to join her demonstrations on the streets of Caracas.

"Just as it took us a long time to achieve electoral victory, now comes a stage that we take day by day, but we have never been as strong as today, never," Machado told supporters in Caracas.

So far, at least 20 people have been killed in post-election protests, according to advocacy groups, including U.S.-based Human Rights Watch. Some 1,200 others have been arrested in connection with the demonstrations, according to the government.

Nations including the US and Argentina have already recognized Gonzalez as the election's winner, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday citing "overwhelming evidence." Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama and Uruguay also concluded on Friday that Gonzalez received the most votes.

Others, including Russia, China and Cuba, have congratulated Maduro.