US' Blinken speaks with Venezuelan opposition leaders

WASHINGTON

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday spoke on the phone with Venezuela’s Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who Washington has said won the most votes in the country's presidential election last Sunday.

During the call, which also included opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, Blinken congratulated Gonzalez for "receiving the most votes" in the election and expressed concern for their "safety and well-being following the election and condemned all political violence and repression,” according to State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.

"The Secretary applauded the Venezuelan people for their dedication to democracy in the face of significant challenges and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to supporting the process of re-establishing democratic norms in Venezuela," he added.

According to the Venezuelan National Electoral Council, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been running the country since 2013, secured 51% of the vote against 44% by Gonzalez. The results, however, have been disputed by the opposition.

Blinken said the election council still has not published the data or any of the vote tallies while the opposition has published more than 80% of the tally sheets from polling stations throughout Venezuela.

"Given the 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," he said in a statement.