Protests erupted across Venezuela on Monday after the country’s electoral authority declared Nicolás Maduro the winner of the presidential election, amid widespread accusations of electoral fraud. In the capital, Caracas, security forces deployed tear gas to disperse large crowds of protesters. Demonstrators banged pots and pans in a show of defiance, while pro-Maduro armed groups reportedly fired at peaceful protesters on Avenue Urdaneta, according to Venezuelan human rights organization PROVEA.

Similar scenes unfolded in other cities. In Maracay, opposition activist Esthefania Natera told CNN that people took to the streets demanding transparency. In the coastal state of Falcón, demonstrators toppled a statue of Maduro, as captured in social media videos. The situation remains tense, with analysts predicting potential unrest if protests against the regime continue to grow.

Maduro, smiling as he entered the National Electoral Council (CNE) for the formal victory announcement, received cheers and congratulations from supporters. However, the CNE, heavily influenced by Maduro’s allies, has yet to release the final vote tallies. The election has been marred by irregularities, including the exclusion of opposition witnesses from the CNE headquarters during vote counting and allegations of vote-rigging, which the government has denied.

The United States joined Venezuelan civil society groups and the opposition in calling for the immediate release of detailed election data, citing concerns about the credibility of Maduro’s victory. Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, representing the Democratic Unitary Platform coalition, rejected the results, claiming that opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez secured 70% of the vote. “We won, and everyone knows it,” Machado asserted, with the coalition planning to make a further statement later in the day.

As Venezuela faces potential turmoil, the next 24 hours will be crucial in determining Maduro’s response to the allegations and the scale of the opposition’s resistance.