Maduro’s departure ‘irreversible’, says Venezuela opposition leader, as election result protests grow

Maria Corina Machado tells Guardian that Nicolas Maduro should understand he lost presidential election, amid widespread international doubts over victory claim

The opposition leader battling to bring the curtains down on Nicolas Maduro's authoritarian regime has urged the Venezuelan strongman to accept that his exit from power is inevitable. The call came as thousands of protesters hit the streets to repudiate Maduro's disputed claim to have won a third term in power.

Venezuela's incumbent president was officially proclaimed the victor of Sunday's election by the government-controlled electoral authority on Monday morning. Maduro called his supposed victory irreversible" despite widespread international doubts over the veracity of his claim to have won.