Venezuela’s pro-government electoral authority (CNE) announced on Monday that the ruling socialist party won a sweeping victory in the country’s parliamentary and regional elections.

Preliminary results indicate that President Nicolás Maduro’s United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) and its allies secured 82.7 per cent of the vote, according to a Sunday night statement by the CNE, as reported by the state news agency AVN.

Smaller opposition parties reportedly received just 17 per cent of the vote. The CNE also noted that voter turnout was approximately 43 per cent.

Mr Maduro celebrated the results in front of supporters in Caracas, calling it a “victory for peace and stability.” Of the 24 gubernatorial seats contested, 23 were won by ruling party candidates.

However, major opposition parties had denounced the elections as a sham and urged a boycott, alleging widespread irregularities and repression.

According to opposition figures, actual turnout may have been closer to 15 per cent due to the boycott.

The election was held amid a crackdown on dissent. Ahead of the vote, at least 70 people were arrested, including prominent opposition leader Juan Pablo Guanipa.

The Interior Ministry accused them of plotting attacks on embassies, hospitals, police stations, and power plants to sabotage the election.

Roughly 21 million Venezuelans were eligible to vote for 285 members of parliament, 24 governors, and thousands of local officials. 

(dpa/NAN)