CARACAS: Venezuela´s President Nicolas Maduro called on Monday for an “iron fist” from the state after deadly protests in response to his July reelection, widely dismissed as a sham.
“I demand from all the powers of state greater speed, greater efficiency and an iron fist against crime, against violence, against hate crimes; an iron fist and certain, severe justice,” he said.
Venezuela´s National Electoral Council (CNE), most of its members loyal to the regime, announced socialist Maduro as the victor of July 28 elections with 52 percent of ballots cast -- but without providing a detailed breakdown.
The opposition says its own tally of polling-station-level results showed its candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, a 74-year-old retired diplomat, had won more than two-thirds of votes cast.