Maduro's Election Win Confirmed Amid Protests

Venezuela's Supreme Court has certified President Nicolas Maduro's disputed victory in the July 28 election, despite widespread allegations of vote fraud and international criticism. The court, dominated by Maduro loyalists, validated the results from the National Electoral Council (CNE), which claimed Maduro won with 52% of the vote. Opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who published results showing he won by over two-thirds, has challenged the court's ruling. Observers from the UN and the Carter Center have also questioned the credibility of the election results. Government claims of a foreign cyberattack delaying vote counting remain unsubstantiated. The ruling has intensified protests and led to a crackdown on dissent, with arrests of opposition figures and forced resignations of state employees.