The Supreme Court of Venezuela announced on Saturday that its decision regarding the disputed July 28 presidential election would be “final and binding.” The court’s president, Carylsia Rodriguez, confirmed this during a hearing, asserting that the assessment initiated on August 5 culminated in a conclusive ruling Nicolas Maduro as the President from 2025-2031.

The election results have been a point of contention, with President Nicolás Maduro claiming a narrow victory, while opposition leaders argue that their candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, won by a significant margin. The opposition has presented what it claims are official tallies from voting sites, which they argue demonstrate González Urrutia’s lead. In contrast, the National Electoral Council (CNE) ratified Maduro’s victory on August 2, reporting that he received 52 percent of the vote. However, the CNE has not released detailed election data, citing a cyberattack on its systems.

Maduro requested that the Supreme Court validate his victory, a process that has involved hearings with all candidates except González Urrutia, who has expressed concerns about his safety and has not appeared publicly in recent days. The situation has prompted international outcry, with some countries and organizations calling for transparency and independent verification of the election results. The US recognized González Urrutia as the winner of the polls. 

Previously, the opposition accused the government of fabricating hacking allegations to avoid transparency regarding the release of the election results. The country’s public prosecutor also launched criminal investigations into González Urrutia and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado earlier this month over allegations including spreading false information and inciting an insurrection.