Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been declared the winner of the presidential election, securing a third term with 51.2% of the vote, according to the country’s electoral authority. The result was announced just after midnight on Monday, following the counting of 80% of the ballot boxes.

Despite the announcement, several exit polls had suggested an opposition victory. Opposition candidate Edmundo González, who received 44% of the vote, had initially claimed there were reasons to celebrate and urged supporters to keep monitoring the results. González also posted on social media earlier, asserting that the results could not be hidden and that the country had peacefully chosen change.

Opposition leader María Corina Machado called on Venezuela’s military to support the will of the people, emphasizing that the military must side with the voters who, according to her, do not want Maduro. However, Maduro has long enjoyed the backing of the military, and there have been no signs of a shift in their support.

Elvis Amoroso, head of the National Electoral Council, confirmed Maduro’s victory. The election was marred by allegations of opposition intimidation and fears of fraud. Maduro, who has been in office since 2013, will now embark on his third six-year term in a country that has seen significant economic decline and widespread emigration.

The election was conducted under a mediated deal between the government and opposition, leading to a temporary easing of U.S. sanctions imposed after the disputed 2018 reelection.