Venezuelan Opposition Leader Beat Dictator Nicolás Maduro ‘By An Insurmountable Margin,’ U.S. Gov Says

The United States government said in a statement on Thursday that Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia beat socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro during the country’s recent presidential election.

The announcement comes after at least 17 protesters have been killed and hundreds more arrested so far in riots that have broken out over the country’s sham election.

More than 12 million Venezuelans voted during the election, which is run by the Maduro-controlled National Electoral Council (CNE).

“The CNE’s rapid declaration of Nicolás Maduro as the winner of the presidential election came with no...