Venezuelans protest presidential election results, claim electoral fraud

July 29 (UPI) -- Thousands of Venezuelans protested Monday in Caracas and other cities after authoritarian socialist President Nicholás Maduro was declared the winner of the country's presidential election amid accusations of electoral fraud.

Protesters claim the weekend election was rigged, as they marched toward the presidential palace in Caracas with signs saying, "Knock down the dictator." People banged pots and pans from their homes and on the streets, burned tires on highways and burned Maduro campaign posters as police fired tear gas. Video showed demonstrators toppling a statue of Maduro in the coastal state of Falcón.

Opposition parties claim its candidate Edmundo González won 70% of the vote, according to exit polls that suggested a clear victory for Maduro's opponent. Maduro has been in power for 11 years, despite widespread discontent over the country's economic crisis.

While Maduro was declared the winner at a ceremony at the National Electoral Council, which the Maduro government controls, the final vote tallies from Sunday's election have still not been released. Initial results released by the council said 59% of the electoral public cast ballots , with 51.20% of the vote going to Maduro and 44% going to González.

"Venezuela has the best electoral system in the world!" CNE president Elvis Amoroso said before announcing Maduro's victory.

Opposition witnesses claim they were denied access to CNE headquarters during the vote count. The government, which has been accused of rigging votes in the past, denies any election interference. President Maduro has accused the opposition of calling for a coup.

"They are trying to impose in Venezuela a coup d'etat again of fascist and counter-revolutionary character," Maduro claimed.

On Monday, the White House expressed "serious concerns" about Maduro's re-election.

"Quite frankly, we have serious concerns that the result as announced does not reflect the will and the votes of the Venezuelan people," White House National Communications Adviser John Kirby told reporters Monday, as he called for the release of the vote tabulations.

"We're going to hold judgment until that time. We in the international community are watching, and we will respond accordingly," Kirby added.

The U.S. State Department on Monday also called for the immediate publication of detailed precinct-level polling and urged "Maduro and his representatives to respect the democratic aspirations of the Venezuelan people and to take immediate steps to restore democratic processes in Venezuela."

The Carter Center and the United Nations are also calling for transparency , as people who protested in the region of La Lucha labeled the vote " terrible, fraud ."

"We won with 70%, but they did the same thing to us again. They took the elections from us again," said resident Paola Sarzalejo.

"He lost the elections, he has no right to be there right now," added her father, Miguel Sarzalejo.

"We want a better future for the youth because if not, they will leave the country for one where they can work well and earn well," Sarzalejo added. "We have a rich country and he is destroying everything."