Venezuela's President Maduro calls for state 'iron fist' after deadly protests
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Transcript
00:00After almost losing power, President Maduro has vowed to tighten his hold on the situation
00:05in Venezuela as post-election protests beset the country.
00:09If it falls within my constitutional duties as head of state, head of government and president
00:18of Venezuela, I demand from all branches of the state greater speed, greater efficiency
00:23and an iron fist against crime, against violence, against hate crimes.
00:33Since the highly contested vote, protests have claimed 25 lives.
00:38Rights groups say 2,200 people have been arrested in what authorities are calling a crackdown
00:43on violent criminals.
00:45Maduro blames his opponent Edmundo Gonzalez for ordering killings and assassinations.
00:51Meanwhile the opposition have called on people to take to the streets.
00:57Have confidence, this time it's different because we're different.
01:01Let's shout together for the world to support our victory and recognise truth and popular
01:05sovereignty.
01:09According to opposition, its own tally of polling station level results showed its candidate
01:13Edmundo Gonzalez won the election.
01:16International opinion remains divided as many states still haven't recognised the results.
01:22The US is considering a range of options to pressure Maduro to return Venezuela to a democratic
01:29path and will continue to do so but the responsibility is on Maduro and Venezuela's electoral authorities
01:36to come clean on the election results.
01:39Venezuela's Supreme Court announced on Saturday that it did not receive evidence from the
01:43opposition regarding the disputed July 28th presidential elections as part of a so-called
01:49election audit.
01:50The tribunal, loyal to Maduro, warned that its decision would be final.