Venezuela Chooses President Under Strict Supervision Of Many Groups

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MOSCOW - Venezuelan people voted on Sunday to elect a new president, under intense scrutiny by opposition groups of the country, civil society, and international observers.

Incumbent President Nicolas Maduro, who is running for a third term, as well as his main opponent, Gonzalez Urrutia, is considered by many as a favorite in the presidential election.

Maduro, who is 61 years old who has ruled Venezuela since 2013, vowed to maintain "peace and stability".

Urrutia, who is a former diplomat, was promoted by the country's main opposition coalition -- the Democratic Unity Platform -- after the previous candidate, Maria Machado, was disqualified.

Urrutia promised to privatize Venezuela's oil industry and try to restructure the country's national debt.

More than 635 international observers, including a team of experts and 65 professionals from electoral commissions around the world, monitored the election.