Venezuela election: Masked assailants raid opposition HQ

Masked assailants ransacked and vandalized the headquarters of Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado on Friday, her party said.

The development came after disputed elections in Venezuela saw President Nicolas Maduro claim victory while protests have broken out in Caracas.

Friday's raid occurred at around 3 a.m. local time (0700 GMT), according to Machado's party, Vente Venezuela.

"Six hooded men without identification overpowered security guards. They threatened them and proceeded to make graffiti, break doors and take equipment and documents. We denounce the attacks and insecurity to which we are subjected for political reasons and we alert the world about the protection of our members," Vente Venezuela said.

Images published by the party on social media showed walls covered in black spray paint.

Machado in hiding

The raid follows threats by top officials, including Maduro, to arrest Machado, who has since gone into hiding and has been barred from running for political office for 15 years.

Later on Friday, Venezuela's election authority ratified Maduro's win with 52% of the vote and said Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia had garnered 43%.

Maduro, 61, has reacted fiercely to those who cast doubt on his victory and has vowed to imprison opposition leader Machado and her presidential candidate Gonzalez, saying they "should be behind bars."

The United States is backing the opposition, recognizing Gonzalez as the victor from Sunday's ballot, and discrediting the National Electoral Council's results.

Uruguay and Argentina join US in backing Gonzalez

Panama, Ecuador and Costa Rica on Friday joined a growing list of countries recognizing Gonzalez as the winner of Venezuela's presidential election.

Ecuador's presidency wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that Gonzalez was the "legitimate winner" of the election, which took place last Sunday. Meanwhile, Costa Rica's Foreign Ministry said the opposition candidate was the "indisputable" winner.

Both Uruguay and Argentina have also joined Washington in recognizing Gonzalez as the rightful winner, but Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Friday the US State Department's recognition of Gonzalez as the election winner was an "excess."

On Thursday, the United States said it was recognizing Gonzalez as the winner of Venezuela's presidential election amid "overwhelming evidence."

"It is clear to the United States and, most importantly, to the Venezuelan people that Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia won the most votes in Venezuela's July 28 presidential election," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said the US was at the "forefront" of what the government calls a "coup attempt," reacting to Washington's backing for Gonzalez.

At least 20 people have been killed in protests that have gripped Venezuela since the election, according to Human Rights Watch.

jsi/msh (AP, Reuters)