Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro told reporters in Caracas that an assassination attempt on him, organized by the authorities of Colombia, had been plotted on the day of the parliamentary election in his country.
"A reliable source in the Colombian intelligence reported that an election day assassination attempt on me was being plotted. <...> [Colombian President] Ivan Duque played a role in the plans to organize my assassination," Maduro said in a specch, broadcast by the Telesur TV channel, TASS reports.
The Venezuelan leader said he had to change the polling station where he cast his ballot as a precaution.
Parliamentary polls were held in Venezuela on December 6 to elect 277 lawmakers of the unicameral National Assembly. With 82% of ballots counted, the Great Patriotic Pole coalition led by the presidential United Socialist Party of Venezuela is winning 67.6% of votes. The Democratic Alliance of the moderate opposition is second with 17.95% of ballots. A large number of opponents of the current government, who are currently controlling the parliament, including opposition leader Juan Guaido, refused to take part in the polls. They had voiced doubt over the election results before they were announced.
