Nicolas Maduro was declared the winner of Venezuela's presidential election Sunday but the opposition and key regional neighbours immediately rejected the official results. The opposition coalition itself claimed victory, after an election campaign tainted by accusations of political intimidation and fears of fraud, and following predictions by pollsters that Maduro would lose but was unlikely to concede after more than a decade in power. He won re-election with 51.2 percent of votes, while opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia received 44.2 percent, according to the electoral council (CNE), which in its majority is loyal to the president. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective on the contested elections FRANCE 24's Annette Young is joined by Dr. Christopher Sabatini, Senior Fellow for Latin America at Chatham House.
