Maduro Is Not Considered, US Foreign Minister Blinken Congratulates Venezuelan Opposition Leader Gonzalez By Phone

JAKARTA - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with opposition leaders Venezuelako Gonzalez and Maria Corina Machado after the chaos of the presidential election results in the South American country.

Blinken congratulated Gonzalez for obtaining the most votes in the election and voiced concern over Gonzalez and Machado's safety, the US State Department said.

On Thursday, Blinken recognized Gonzalez as the winner of the vote. Meanwhile, Nicolas Maduro, the president who is also an incumbent candidate, has declared his victory in the Venezuelan presidential election.

Disputes over the results of the presidential election have sparked protests in Venezuela, after his election board declared President Nicolas Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, the winner, with 51 percent of the vote.