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In a tightly contested election, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has won a third term with 51% of the vote, according to the country’s electoral authority, which made the announcement just after midnight on Monday. Despite multiple exit polls indicating an opposition victory, Maduro’s win was confirmed, leaving many in the country divided over the outcome.

Opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez received 44% of the vote, according to the electoral authority. Earlier in the evening, the opposition had expressed optimism, stating they had “reasons to celebrate” and urging supporters to continue monitoring the vote counts. “The results cannot be hidden. The country has peacefully chosen a change,” Gonzalez declared in a post on X (formerly Twitter) at around 11 p.m. local time, before the official results were released.

Adding to the tension, opposition leader Maria Corina Machado called on the country’s military to uphold the integrity of the election results. Her statement underscores the ongoing concerns about the electoral process and the transparency of the vote counting.

The announcement of Maduro’s victory has sparked mixed reactions across Venezuela, with supporters celebrating his continued leadership while the opposition and its backers question the legitimacy of the results. As the country navigates this period of uncertainty, all eyes are on how the government and opposition will respond in the coming days.