By Staff, Agencies Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez has asserted that the nationwide protests against President Maduro's re-election are part of a US-backed coup attempt.

He accused Western-backed opposition groups of inciting unrest and condemned the post-election rioting.

Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, Padrino Lopez stated that the demonstrators were engaging in "acts of sabotage" and had destroyed official buildings, including electoral centers and offices of the National Electoral Council [CNE].

He emphasized that these actions were supported by North American imperialism and its allies.

The minister noted that the anti-Maduro protesters' efforts were part of a broader international effort to discredit the Venezuelan election, claiming that hundreds of millions of dollars were being invested in this campaign.

Despite this, he assured that any coup attempts would be thwarted and called for dialogue, urging political forces to adhere to Venezuelan laws and follow the path of democracy.

Padrino Lopez also highlighted the Venezuelan people's civility during the election and criticized the opposition for continually alleging fraud.

He warned that history has shown that violence does not lead to positive outcomes.

According to CNN, with 80% of ballots counted, Maduro secured over 51% of the vote, defeating his rival Edmundo Gonzalez, who garnered 44%.

Gonzalez's supporters have taken to the streets, denouncing alleged vote rigging In response to the accusations of fraud, President Maduro mocked the opposition for consistently alleging fraud in every election