recognize this electoral process as valid as having taken place. for us there was no elections no new elections in venezuela need to take place. oil rich venezuela has been an economic meltdown for most of my time in power catastrophic shortages in food medicine and other essentials led to months of street protests last year which resulted in more than one hundred twenty five dead inflation is at fourteen thousand percent. all the while has tightened his grip on power says he's defending venezuela from imperialism the election has been broadly condemned by the international community the u.s. is considering additional sanctions against the state which would likely further damage venezuela's economy. and here's some of the other stories now that are