VENEZUELA: ‘Election turnout figures manipulated by 1m votes’

The firm that provided Venezuela’s election technology has cast doubt on the outcome of its polls for a new assembly, saying the turnout figures were “manipulated”. Electoral authorities say more than eight million people voted on July 30, a figure that has been disputed by the opposition and independent analysts and condemned by many nations […]

The firm that provided Venezuela’s election technology has cast doubt on the outcome of its polls for a new assembly, saying the turnout figures were “manipulated”.

Electoral authorities say more than eight million people voted on July 30, a figure that has been disputed by the opposition and independent analysts and condemned by many nations in the region and beyond.

In a statement in London yesterday, Smartmatic, which has provided voting machines to Venezuela for the last decade, said: “Based on the robustness of our system, we know, without any doubt, that the turnout of the recent election for a National Constituent Assembly was manipulated.”

Tareck El Aissami, Venezuela’s vice president, said the election results had been reviewed and the 545 assembly members would take the reins of the nation’s government “within hours”.