Protests Erupt in Venezuela Over Election Results

Protests erupted across Venezuela following President Nicolas Maduro's controversial re-election, which the opposition claims was marred by fraud. Maduro was declared the winner with 51% of the vote, but opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez's supporters argue he actually won by a significant margin, citing access to 73% of voting tallies. Demonstrations included traditional 'cacerolazos', as well as violent clashes with security forces, resulting in multiple arrests and at least one reported death. Several statues of Hugo Chavez were toppled in an unprecedented show of dissent. The electoral council's failure to provide complete results and allegations of a cyber attack on its systems have fueled further distrust. International observers, including the Carter Center, are pressing for transparency before recognizing Maduro's victory.