Venezuela’s Supreme Court has backed President Nicolas Maduro’s claims that he won last month’s presidential election and said voting tallies published online showing he lost by a landslide were forged.
The ruling is the latest attempt by Maduro to blunt protests and international criticism that erupted after the contested July 28 vote in which the self-proclaimed socialist leader was seeking a third, six-year term.
The high court is packed with Maduro loyalists and has almost never ruled against the government.
Its decision, read Thursday in an event attended by senior officials and foreign diplomats, came in response a request by Maduro to review vote totals showing he had won by more than 1 million votes.
The main opposition coalition has accused Maduro of trying to steal the vote.
Thanks to a superb ground game on election day, opposition volunteers managed to collect copies of voting tallies from 80 per cent of the 30,000 polling booths nationwide and which show opposition candidate Edmundo González won by a more than two-to-one margin. The official tally sheets printed by each voting machine carry a QR code that make it easy for anyone to verify the results and are almost impossible to replicate.
The high court's ruling certifying the results contradicts the findings of experts from the United Nations and the Carter Center who were invited to observe the election and which both determined the results announced by authorities lacked credibility. Specifically, the outside experts noted that authorities didn’t release a breakdown of results by each of the 30,000 voting booths nationwide, as they have in almost every previous election.
The government has claimed — without evidence — that a foreign cyberattack staged by hackers from North Macedonia delayed the vote counting on election night and publication of the disaggregated results.
González was the only one of 10 candidates who did not participate in the Supreme Court's audit, a fact noted by the justices, who in their ruling accused him of trying to spread panic.
Supreme Court President Caryslia Rodriguez speaks at the Court which is performing an audit of the disputed results of the presidential election in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
The former diplomat and his chief backer, opposition powerhouse Maria Corina Machado, went into hiding after the election as security forces arrested more than 2,000 people and cracked down on demonstrations that erupted spontaneously throughout the country protesting the results.
Numerous foreign governments, including the U.S. as well as several leftist allies of Maduro, have called on authorities to release the full breakdown of results.
With the U.S. election widely predicted to be a close race, some believe American voters in Canada and overseas will be crucial in helping elect the new president about a month from now.
Drug smuggling is the main industry for Mexican cartels, but migrant smuggling is turning into a financial windfall. In this fourth installment of CTV W5's 'Narco Jungle: The Death Train,' Avery Haines is in Juarez where she speaks with one of the human smugglers known as 'coyotes.'
An Israeli airstrike on an apartment in central Beirut killed seven Hezbollah-affiliated civilian first responders. Israel has been pounding areas of the country where the militant group has a strong presence since late September, but has rarely struck in the heart of the capital.
A B.C. man has been ordered to pay a total of $4,000 to a Coquitlam company and its two owners because of a negative review he posted on Google.
The federal government's decision to not provide Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine this respiratory virus season raises health equity concerns, experts and advocates say, as some Canadians look to the U.S. to get the shot.
Canadian figure skater Nikolaj Sorensen has been suspended for at least six years for 'sexual maltreatment,' the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner announced Wednesday.
An Ontario family was planning a religious trip to Saudi Arabia that included 10 people, but when they were checking-in for their flights, the family discovered some of their tickets were fake.
In less than a year, an Alberta woman has gone from gracing the stage at her first pageant to competing at the Mrs. Universe pageant in South Korea. She's making history by becoming the first Canadian veteran to compete internationally.
In late August, U.K. television personality Kirstie Allsopp found herself in an unexpected media storm after a series of her social media posts describing her 15-year-old son's trip through Europe without adult supervision went viral.
An increasing number of Ontario school boards are reporting deficits and are using or even depleting their reserves, according to internal Ministry of Education briefing documents.
What happened to two Ontario men who left on a fishing trip 57 years ago and never returned home? That's something police say could be answered with a DNA sample.
With the U.S. election widely predicted to be a close race, some believe American voters in Canada and overseas will be crucial in helping elect the new president about a month from now.
An Ontario family was planning a religious trip to Saudi Arabia that included 10 people, but when they were checking-in for their flights, the family discovered some of their tickets were fake.
Alberta will not allow the sale of liquor in grocery and convenience stores, the province announced on Wednesday.
Three suspects are now in custody, including the person who police say shot and injured an officer during a robbery investigation in midtown Toronto on Wednesday afternoon.
U.S. authorities charged five Chinese nationals with lying and trying to cover their tracks, more than a year after they were confronted in the dark near a remote Michigan military site where thousands of people had gathered for summer drills.
Iran's ballistic missile attack on Israel caused few casualties and little damage, but it marked a further escalation of tensions in the Middle East as Israeli forces battle Tehran's militant allies in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. Here's what we know.
The United Nations on Wednesday called Israel’s ban on Secretary-General Antonio Guterres entering the country a political statement by its foreign minister.
Donald Trump 'resorted to crimes' after losing the 2020 election, federal prosecutors said in a court filing unsealed Wednesday.
Drug smuggling is the main industry for Mexican cartels, but migrant smuggling is turning into a financial windfall. In this fourth installment of CTV W5's 'Narco Jungle: The Death Train,' Avery Haines is in Juarez where she speaks with one of the human smugglers known as 'coyotes.'
An Israeli airstrike on an apartment in central Beirut killed seven Hezbollah-affiliated civilian first responders. Israel has been pounding areas of the country where the militant group has a strong presence since late September, but has rarely struck in the heart of the capital.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is headed to France today to attend the Francophonie summit, where the shadow of a wider war in the Middle East will likely loom large over the meeting of French-speaking countries.
Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet says his ultimatum to the government stands, after the Liberals voted against a motion seeking money to boost seniors' benefits on Wednesday.
The latest Nanos numbers show Pierre Poilievre and the federal Conservative Party have opened up a significant lead, and Justin Trudeau’s Liberals have fallen back into a statistical tie with the NDP.
The federal government's decision to not provide Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine this respiratory virus season raises health equity concerns, experts and advocates say, as some Canadians look to the U.S. to get the shot.
A woman with the rare condition of two uteruses delivered twins, one from each womb, last month at a hospital in northwestern China, according to health officials and state media.
A medallion containing some of the original mould involved in the discovery of penicillin is expected to fetch up to US$50,000 when it goes up for auction later this month.
Amazon Web Services’ director of global artificial intelligence is encouraging Canada not to go it alone when it comes to regulating the technology.
The bracket for 2024's Fat Bear Week contest was revealed Tuesday night, but only after a deadly bear-on-bear attack at Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve on Monday delayed the unveiling.
A medallion containing some of the original mould involved in the discovery of penicillin is expected to fetch up to US$50,000 when it goes up for auction later this month.
A San Diego doctor became the third person to plead guilty in the case of Matthew Perry's fatal drug overdose, as prosecutors collect cooperators in an attempt to convict two bigger targets they say are responsible for the death of the 'Friends' star.
If all you want for Christmas is Mariah Carey and her famous holiday single, you need to wait.
Jacob Hoggard wrapped up his time on the stand in his sexual assault trial this morning after the Crown cross-examined him on apparent gaps in his memory.
Over the past few years, consumers have been buying more private-label products at the grocery store to save money -- and the trend may be here to stay.
DoorDash is increasing fees in British Columbia in response to recently passed provincial legislation.
Bank of America customers reported having trouble accessing their bank accounts on Wednesday, but the bank said the apparent glitch has been largely fixed.
In less than a year, an Alberta woman has gone from gracing the stage at her first pageant to competing at the Mrs. Universe pageant in South Korea. She's making history by becoming the first Canadian veteran to compete internationally.
In late August, U.K. television personality Kirstie Allsopp found herself in an unexpected media storm after a series of her social media posts describing her 15-year-old son's trip through Europe without adult supervision went viral.
Tom Turcich and his four-legged companion were greeted by a huge homecoming celebration in Haddon Township on May 21, 2022, with Turcich officially becoming the 10th person on record to walk around the world, and Savannah claiming the title of the first dog to do so.
Days after being suspended by FIFA, Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez produced heroics in front of the watching Prince William as Aston Villa sealed another famous win against Bayern Munich.
The claim to Shohei Ohtani's potentially lucrative 50th home run ball grew more complicated this week, with a second fan filing a lawsuit asserting he had possession of the historic baseball.
The men's final of this year’s China Open was billed as a battle between two titans and it definitely didn't disappoint.
Canadian-made Chrysler Grand Caravans have seen sales jump over the third quarter and calendar year. According to FCA Canada, sales were up by 79 per cent this quarter and up 85 per cent for the calendar-year to date.
A Pickering, Ont., student going to college to be a mechanic is shocked the engine in his two-year-old car will not be repaired under warranty after the dealership claimed he had been 'over-revving' the engine.
General Motors’ Cruise autonomous vehicle division will pay a US$1.5 million penalty after the unit failed to fully report a crash involving a pedestrian, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday.
The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.
On Saturday night at her parents’ home in Delaware, Ont. the Olympic bronze medallist in pole vault welcomed everyone who played a role in getting her to the podium in Paris.
A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.
When a group of B.C. filmmakers set out on a small fishing boat near Powell River last week, they hoped to capture some video for a documentary on humpback whales. What happened next blew their minds.
A pizza chain in Edmonton claims to have the world's largest deliverable pizza.
Sarah McLachlan is returning to her hometown of Halifax in November.
Wayne MacKay is still playing basketball twice at Mount Allison University at 87 years old.
A man from a small rural Alberta town is making music that makes people laugh.
An Indigenous artist has a buyer-beware warning ahead of Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.
The moment the writ was dropped for the Oct. 19 election, candidates all over B.C. began putting up campaign signs. By the following day, many of those signs had already been stolen or vandalized, and that’s continuing today.
What does New Westminster's təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.
An Ontario family was planning a religious trip to Saudi Arabia that included 10 people, but when they were checking-in for their flights, the family discovered some of their tickets were fake.
An increasing number of Ontario school boards are reporting deficits and are using or even depleting their reserves, according to internal Ministry of Education briefing documents.
Three suspects are now in custody, including the person who police say shot and injured an officer during a robbery investigation in midtown Toronto on Wednesday afternoon.
A man was shot multiple times across from the Drop-In Centre in downtown Calgary on Wednesday evening.
A new report from the Calgary Foundation paints a concerning picture of the city's quality of life, highlighting rising costs, housing challenges and safety concerns.
A 23-year-old Airdrie woman who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer while pregnant is desperately in need of hundreds of thousands of dollars for a potentially life-saving drug trial only available in the United States.
Several schools are closed in Kemptville, Ont. today as police investigate a threat targeting a Catholic high school in the community.
OC Transpo will be providing an update today on the Trillium Line LRT, including an anticipated start date for trial running.
Environment Canada's forecast calls for fog patches dissipating later this morning. As of 6 a.m., a blanket of fog was covering parts of downtown and Lowertown.
Eva Abdul Khalek is grateful. Her cat Luigi survived a fall from their 11th-floor balcony. The family believes the cat snuck out, likely through the balcony door that was left open.
An 82-year-old man has serious injuries after being struck by a vehicle while crossing the street in Montreal.
Quebec Premier François Legault, who will be received at the Hôtel de Matignon on Thursday morning by his newly-appointed French counterpart, Prime Minister Michel Barnier, intends to discuss immigration during the meeting.
Low water levels on the Athabasca River in Fort Chipewyan this Spring revealed more than community leaders had bargained for.
There are renewed questions over a recent comment by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on whether the province is being sprayed from above by so-called chemtrails.
Edmonton city council approved its new district policy and plans for 14 districts on Wednesday.
The Saint John Police Force is investigating a sudden death after the body of a man was found at a tent encampment in the city.
Five cruise ships docked across Cape Breton on Wednesday, setting a new record for the island.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) seized more than 13,000 pounds of lobster – worth more than $100,000 – from a facility in Shelburne County, N.S., on Wednesday.
A man has died and Manitoba's police watchdog is investigating after an officer-involved shooting Wednesday afternoon.
Nino Niederreiter scored twice and Gabriel Vilardi had three assists for the Winnipeg Jets in a 5-2 win over the Calgary Flames in a pre-season game Wednesday.
The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.
Regina city councillors heard an update from administration on the Lawson Aquatic Centre replacement at Executive Committee Wednesday.
The federal government announced plans to include contraception in their National Pharmacare plan earlier this year, and one Saskatchewan advocacy group is hopeful the province will jump on board.
When Saskatchewan Roughriders kicker, Brett Lauther, takes to the field at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton on Saturday it will mark his hundredth career Canadian Football League (CFL) game.
Renters in Kitchener, Ont. have joined with a local tenants union to call out the 'largest renovictor in Ontario.'
What happened to two Ontario men who left on a fishing trip 57 years ago and never returned home? That's something police say could be answered with a DNA sample.
The family-owned business, which has been a fixture on Arthur Street South since 1927, made the difficult decision to shut down following a smash and grab robbery back in June.
A Saskatoon-based political scientist doesn't expect Saskatchewan's provincial election to be dominated by large issues, explosive events or political fireworks prior to voting day on Oct. 28.
A Saskatoon photographer is hoping to make some love connections through a unique blind dating. The idea came out of a need to help singles get offline and back to real in-person connections.
The jury at the trial of a second-degree murder suspect in Sudbury on Wednesday heard graphic details of the crime scene discovered in a Kathleen Street apartment on Boxing Day 2020.
The latest Nanos numbers show Pierre Poilievre and the federal Conservative Party have opened up a significant lead, and Justin Trudeau’s Liberals have fallen back into a statistical tie with the NDP.
Jacob Hoggard wrapped up his time on the stand in his sexual assault trial this morning after the Crown cross-examined him on apparent gaps in his memory.
An investigation is underway at London's safe consumption site after someone who visited the facility died.
According to police, the police vehicle was parked on the shoulder in a construction zone with its lights activated when it was struck by a tractor trailer traveling east.
A drop-in shelter for women and gender-nonconforming Londoners living unsheltered is closing its doors in the Old East Village and transitioning to an outreach service.
Ward 1 Councillor Clare Riepma will be docked 15 days' pay and was sternly reprimanded for violating the City of Barrie's code of conduct on two separate occasions.
An Aurora, Ont. man who has maintained his innocence despite being convicted of killing his wife will learn his fate in a Newmarket courtroom on Wednesday.
Police responded to serious crash in Melanthon Township.
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Described as a "bubble on the edge of bursting," Windsor's emergency shelters are approaching maximum capacity much earlier than expected this year.
School boards in Windsor-Essex could experience a significant loss of teachers in the coming years due to retirements, according to unions representing teachers.
The moment the writ was dropped for the Oct. 19 election, candidates all over B.C. began putting up campaign signs. By the following day, many of those signs had already been stolen or vandalized, and that’s continuing today.
DoorDash is increasing fees in British Columbia in response to recently passed provincial legislation.
A grassroots campaign to end gender-based violence has sent a letter to BC Conservative Leader John Rustad informing him it is withdrawing permission for him to wear its symbol.
Three young suspects have been arrested in connection with a swarming attack on a teenager in B.C.'s Okanagan last week – and authorities have asked the public to stop circulating disturbing videos of the incident.
A father in Kelowna is furious after his 13-year-old daughter was brutally beaten on Gyro Beach. He is calling for criminal charges in the devastating attack, which was caught on video by multiple bystanders.
The officer who shot and killed a forcible confinement suspect in Kamloops two years ago was justified in doing so, according to the Independent Investigations Office of B.C.
Hearings on a proposed coal project in Alberta's Crowsnest Pass will go ahead despite legal challenges.
A Lethbridge man is facing several charges after a traffic stop led to the seizure of drugs and weapons.
From offering two meals a week to three a day, the Lethbridge Soup Kitchen has grown immensely over the past 40 years.
City council in Sault Ste. Marie has decided to purchase the former general hospital site, with an eye on demolishing the property and selling it to a buyer serious about redevelopment.
A woman who has worked for Â鶹´«Ã½ Northern Ontario for 50 years was honoured Tuesday night with a lifetime achievement award.
CTV Northern Ontario will be live on location in the community collecting donations to stock the shelves of local food banks this month.
He may not have logged the fastest time or even gone the full distance, but residents of a Newfoundland town agree the goat who unexpectedly joined the local weekend half marathon was the event's undisputed champion.
A mother in a community where the cost of living is one of the highest in the country says grocery prices are 'inhumane' and retailers are putting profits ahead of people’s basic human right to food.
A soccer game in England on Tuesday night drove a spike in online traffic across the Atlantic to a website launched by the Newfoundland and Labrador government.
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