Transcript of Maduro claims victory in contested Venezuelan election

Tonight, outrage across Venezuela after President Nicolas Maduro claims victory in his third straight election. The National Electoral Council announcing Maduro secured 51% of the vote, compared to opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez with 44%. But Gonzalez and the opposition also claiming victory, saying they received 70% of the vote. Maduro's government so far refusing to release the detailed official results needed to back up its claim of victory. In a statement released Monday, Maduro claiming someone hacked the National Electoral council's data transmission system. Reporter Ana Vanessa Herrera is in Caracas, where protesters have started taking to the.

Streets where we're looking at the people without anyone telling them to get to the streets. They are now on the streets, at least right now. We don't know if that it's gonna get worse, it's gonna get bigger. But so far, the people are just showing that there is no celebration.

Several countries, including the US, also casting doubt on the election outcome and urging officials to release a detailed tabulation of votes.

We have serious concerns that the result announced does not reflect the will or the votes of the venezuelan people.

According to the UN, more than 7 million people have left Venezuela since Maduro took office, about 20% of the country's population, many saying now they won't go home. Maduro first took power in 2013 following the death of popular socialist leader Hugo Chavez. Venezuela suffered economic catastrophe under Mauros rule, including hyperinflation. Hes also received harsh criticism for his increasingly autocratic rule, facing accusations of taking political prisoners and not allowing free elections. Venezuela's opposition and the US also saying his last election in 2018 was illegitimate. For now, Venezuela heading into a period of profound uncertainty as calls for the government to release the full results grow louder and unrest among its citizens grows more.

And David Noriega joins us now from Los Angeles. David, you mentioned at the end of your piece that the United States does not recognize Maduro's rule as legitimate. And that dates back to the Trump administration. Talk to us about why the US is watching this election so closely.

Well, Alison, for one thing, there's the issue of migration. Of the seven plus million people who have left Venezuela in the last few years, about 10% of them, some little more than 700,000 people, have crossed the southern border into the US. But in general, the US is a major player in this story. The economic crisis that produced that migration crisis was made worse by us sanctions on Venezuela. And if Maduro serves another six year term in power, those sanctions and the economic crisis and the migration crisis are likely to intensify. The US has been trying for years in various different ways to get Maudo out of power. Hes actually under indictment in the US. Hes wanted for drug trafficking and corruption by us federal authorities. And hes not likely to leave office peacefully unless he can get some kind of guarantee that hes not going to.

Wind up in an american prison.

Alison, interesting stuff. David Noriega, thank you. We appreciate it.

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