Venezuela Gov't To Summon Gonzalez To Testify In Disputed Election Probe

HAVANA (Cuba), Aug 24 (Bernama-dpa) -- Venezuela's government will summon opposition candidate Edmundo González to testify in an ongoing investigation into the country's recent elections, Attorney General Tarek William Saab said on Friday, reported the German news agency (dpa).

The electoral authority, which is loyal to the government, had officially declared President Nicolás Maduro the winner of the July 28 election. Maduro has been in office since 2013.

But the agency has yet to publish the detailed results of the individual voting districts.

The opposition accuses the government of electoral fraud and claims victory for its candidate González.

Saab accused González of publishing fake documents on the Internet and of trying to "illegally usurp responsibilities" that belonged to the electoral authority.

He had already announced investigations against González and the opposition leader María Corina Machado on August 5 on charges of usurpation of office and incitement to sedition. Maduro has said that both should be behind bars.

The state reacted harshly to demonstrations against the official election results. According to the human rights organisation Provea, at least 24 people were killed and more than 2,400 detained.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court, which is considered to be loyal to the government, said it had confirmed Maduro had won. It added the decision could not be appealed.

The United States and several Latin American countries have recognised González as the winner of the election. The European Union cast doubt on the official election results.

A UN expert group wrote in a preliminary report that the elections did not meet the "measures of integrity and transparency" required to be considered credible.

-- BERNAMA-dpa