Venezuela's top court rules Maduro won disputed election

By James Blears 

The Supreme Tribunal of Justice, or the TSJ, say that Nicolas Maduro won just over half of the vote, their decision is final and it cannot be appealed.

They claim that voting tallies obtained by the Opposition have been forged.

Nicolas Maduro has ruled Venezuela since 2013. 

He has now been given the official confirmation for another six years term by the TSJ, which is reinforced by his supporters, loyalists and allies. 

The Opposition and its Candidate Edmundo Gonzalez collected paper copies of voting tallies from more than eighty percent of the 30,000 polling stations saying that he won by a more than two to one margin.

These tallies were viewed by independent experts who say Gonzalez won 67 percent of the vote compared to 30 percent for Maduro. 

So far, twenty three people have been killed and more than 2,400 people have been arrested in protests since the July 28th Presidential Election.