Venezuelan protesters clash with police after disputed election

After Nicolas Maduro was declared the winner of the presidential elections in Venezuela, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Caracas, the country's capital; military and police units brutally suppressed the protests. Tear gas, water cannons, and rubber bullets have been used. These are the first fatalities. Shocking recordings have circulated online.

On Monday, Nicolas Maduro was declared the winner of the presidential elections in Venezuela. According to the National Electoral Council, he received 51 percent of the votes - 7 percent more than the opposition candidate, Edmundo González (although pre-election polls indicated his victory).

After the election results were announced, the country plunged into chaos. On Monday, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Caracas, questioning the election results and demanding the government's resignation. Opponents of the president made their way to the government district, chanting, among other things, "freedom, freedom." The same chants were heard in the poorest district of Caracas.

Streets in the city centre were blocked, fires were breaking out, and monuments were being toppled. Protesters are tearing down and burning Maduro's election posters.

According to journalist Tomasz Surdel on platform X, in Calabozo (Guárico state), a statue of Hugo Chávez was toppled. Meanwhile, in Guacara (Carabobo state), protesters set fire to a large portrait of Nicolas Maduro.

Soldiers and police officers have appeared on the streets of Caracas, to prevent demonstrators from approaching the presidential palace. The forces are brutally cracking down on the demonstrators. As reported by the BBC, tear gas, water cannons, and rubber bullets were used.

There are the first fatalities of the riots. Recordings showing killed Venezuelans have circulated online (we do not publish them due to their graphic nature).

Nicolas Maduro said before the elections that if the opposition won, it would end in bloodshed. And, as you can see, he kept his word. Another fatal victim of the pro-government “colectivos” - it happened yesterday in Maracay - wrote Tomasz Surdel on X.

The BBC spoke to the demonstrators. They emphasise that the voting was "a terrible fraud" and that the elections were won by González, who obtained over 70 percent of the votes.

"We want a better future for the youth, because if not, they will leave the country. One where they can work well and earn well. We have a rich country, and he [Maduro] is destroying everything", "If all the young people leave, only old people, retirees, will remain in Venezuela", "They took our elections from us again" - protestors told the BBC.

They emphasise that many young people participated in the elections, yearning for change.

This was my first vote in life. I was there from six in the morning until about nine in the morning and saw many people mobilising in the streets - indicated a young man in an interview with the station.

So far, 32 people have been arrested for "destroying election materials and inciting acts of violence".