According to the Electoral Commission, PSUV’s Nicolas Maduro (United Socialist Party of Venezuela) won the presidential election with 50.7% of the vote against 49.1% for the opposition MUD candidate Henrique Capriles Rodonski.

The polls had indicated that Maduro was way ahead of his opponent, with a 16 point advance. Experts had predicted that he would win with more than 55% of the popular vote.

Almost 80% of eligible voters took part in the poll.

Maduro is slated to be sworn in as president on April 19, to complete the six-year term of Hugo Chavez which terminates in January 2019.

Henrique Capriles has demanded the conduct of a full audit of the election results, intimating that the PUCV was responsible for election fraud.

Maduro responded to Capriles in a public statement:

“They want an audit, we welcome the audit … I formally request the National Electoral Commission to carry out an audit,”

The figures are as follows: with 99.12% of the vote counted and a participation rate of of 78.71%,

Maduro Moros: 7.505.338 votes, 50.66%.

Henrique Capriles Radonski: 7.270.403 votos, 49.07%.