Maduro's party wins election

VENEZUELAN President Nicolas Maduro's party at the weekend swept the board in parliamentary and regional elections that were boycotted by the opposition in protest over his disputed re-election last year.

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The United Socialist Party of Venezuela won 23 out of 24 state governor positions and scored 82.68% of the votes cast for lists of National Assembly members, the electoral council (CNE) said.

The constituency-level results of the parliamentary vote had yet to be tallied.

The main opposition group, led by popular figurehead Maria Corina Machado, had urged voters to stay away to avoid legitimising what she described as a "farce" election.

Journalists who visited polling stations in several cities said turnout was much lower compared to the July 2024 presidential election.

The CNE put voter turnout at a little over 42% of Venezuela's 21 million eligible voters.

The run-up to the vote was marked by mass arrests and a new crackdown on dissent. Over 70 people were arrested on suspicion of planning to "sabotage" the election.

Among those arrested was leading opposition member Juan Pablo Gua-nipa, held on charges of heading the "terrorist network" behind the alleged plot.