US Secretary of State Antony Blinken addressed the results of Venezuela’s contentious presidential election on Monday, in which incumbent Nicolás Maduro was declared the winner.

“We have seen the announcement just a short while ago by the Venezuelan Electoral Commission,” Blinken said. “We have serious concerns that the result announced does not reflect the will or the votes of the Venezuelan people.”

Blinken emphasized the need for transparency, calling on Venezuelan election officials to release the full election results immediately. He stressed that the results must be verified through an open and fair process, with information shared with opposition groups and independent observers without delay.

The Venezuelan National Electoral Council, known to be aligned with Maduro, announced the results after a several-hour delay. 

The Council declared Maduro the winner without disclosing detailed vote counts from polling stations.