Venezuelan President Sets Example of Respect for Election Results: Defense Minister

The high-ranking official attributed the massive citizen turnout at polling stations to a broad consensus for maintaining peace.

On Sunday, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino assured that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, the candidate of the Great Patriotic Pole, has set an example by recognizing the electoral results, after calling on other contenders to respect the ongoing voting process in the Caribbean nation.

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“President Maduro has set the example. From the beginning, he has called on all political actors and candidates to respect the official results from the electoral authorities once the voting day is concluded,” Padrino said after casting his vote.

The high-ranking Bolivarian official also stated that he was very pleased with the massive citizen turnout at the polling stations, attributing it to a broad consensus for maintaining peace in the nation.

“We hope the electoral process ends peacefully and with civility and patience, just as it is currently unfolding,” Padrino said, adding that no significant incidents have been reported at the polling centers.

Earlier, after casting his vote in Caracas, President Maduro confirmed that he will respect the outcome, and ensure the results issued by the National Electoral Council (CNE) are respected. He also called on the nine opposition candidates to publicly commit to respecting the Venezuelan electoral authority.

On Sunday morning, the CNE opened 15,767 polling stations throughout the country, all of which are operating without any incidents. The polling stations will remain open up to 6 pm local time. If necessary, they will remain operational as long as there are voters in line waiting to enter.

In a completely digitalized voting process, ten candidates appear on the voting machines: President Nicolas Maduro, right-wing opposition politician Edmundo Gonzalez, evangelical pastor Javier Bertucci, comedian Benjamin Rausseo, former mayors Daniel Ceballos and Claudio Fermin, former councilman Antonio Ecarri, legislators Luis Martinez and Jose Brito, and former electoral official Enrique Marquez.