STORY: Venezuela's ruling socialist party held its significant majority in the National Assembly in a Sunday (May 25) election, winning nearly 83% of votes according to the electoral authority, in a contest boycotted by some opposition leaders amid deep division among parties opposed to the government of President Nicolas Maduro.

Some of the country's major opposition leaders called for voters to abstain in protest of the official results of the July 2024 presidential election, which the opposition says it won but which authorities say was a Maduro victory.

Sunday's legislative results will keep the ruling party in control of the attorney general's office and the top court, whose members are elected by lawmakers.

Turnout to choose 24 state governors and 285 lawmakers was 42.6%of 21 million eligible voters, National Electoral Council (CNE) rector Carlos Quintero said in a declaration broadcast on state television, similar to the turnout in the 2021 elections.

A governor was elected to represent the new state of Guayana Esequiba despite an order from the International Court of Justice that voting not take place in the region, which is the subject of a territorial dispute with neighboring Guyana.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: RESULTS OF ELECTIONS BEING ANNOUNCED / VENEZUELA PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO ADDRESSING SUPPORTERS AFTER ELECTION RESULTS

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (MAY 25, 2025) (VENEZUELA GOVERNMENT TV - No use Venezuela)

1. MEMBERS OF VENEZUELA'S NATIONAL ELECTORAL COUNCIL ARRIVING TO ANNOUNCE RESULTS

2. MEMBERS OF NATIONAL ELECTORAL COUNCIL ON STAGE

3. AUDIENCE LISTENING

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VICE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ELECTORAL COUNCIL (CNE), CARLOS QUINTERO, SAYING:

"With a transmission of voting machines corresponding to 93.01% of the polling stations, and a participation of 42.63% of active voters, we have to decide for the position of deputies from the nationally allocated list. The Great Patriotic Pole Alliance (governing party) obtained 4,553,484 votes, corresponding to 82.68% of the total votes."

5. CARLOS QUINTERO, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ELECTORAL COUNCIL, READING ELECTION RESULTS

CARACAS, VENEZUELA (MAY 26, 2025) (VENEZUELA GOVERNMENT TV - No use Venezuela)

6. VENEZUELA'S PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO SPEAKING TO SUPPORTERS AT ELECTION CELEBRATION EVENT IN PLAZA BOLÍVAR

7. SUPPORTERS WAVING FLAGS

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELA'S PRESIDENT, NICOLAS MADURO, SAYING:

"To all Venezuelans, this victory is the victory of peace and stability for all of Venezuela."

9. MADURO SUPPORTERS AT EVENT

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA, NICOLAS MADURO, SAYING:

"The organic law of the Esequibo was passed, and the people today, as the morning of May 26, 2025, have Admiral Villamizar as governor, and that admiral, governor elected by the people, will have full budgetary support, because the people of the Esequibo earned it, so that the Esequibo people have all the rights as the people of Venezuela."

11. VARIOUS OF MADURO SUPPORTERS AT EVENT

12. MADURO INTRODUCING HIS WIFE, CILIA FLORES DE MADURO, ON STAGE