UN human rights watchdog opens investigation into Venezuela presidential election

The United Nations Human Rights Council has directed Venezuela to preserve tally sheets and other electoral materials as it investigates allegations of electoral fraud by President Nicolás Maduro in this summer’s election.

The council’s decision follows an October petition from Latin American jurists citing extensive evidence of fraud undermining the political rights of millions. Maduro, who claims a decisive victory, is set to begin a third six-year term in January, though electoral authorities have yet to release voting records to substantiate his claims.

This lack of transparency has drawn criticism from the U.S., the European Union, and even left-leaning allies like Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico. Meanwhile, the opposition has published online tallies from 80% of polling machines suggesting their candidate, Edmundo González, won by a more than 2-to-1 margin.

via AP