CARACAS, July 30 (Reuters) - Protests in Venezuela spread on Tuesday as anger grew over the awarding of Sunday's election to President Nicolas Maduro despite opposition claims that they had clinched a landslide victory.
The protests began after the election board declared on Monday that Maduro had won a third term with 51% of votes to extend the "Chavista" movement's quarter-century rule.
The opposition, which considers the election body to be in the pocket of a dictatorial government, said the 73% of vote tallies to which it has access showed its candidate Edmundo Gonzalez had more than twice as many votes as Maduro.
The protests began after the election board declared on Monday that Maduro had won a third term with 51% of votes to extend the "Chavista" movement's quarter-century rule.
The opposition, which considers the election body to be in the pocket of a dictatorial government, said the 73% of vote tallies to which it has access showed its candidate Edmundo Gonzalez had more than twice as many votes as Maduro.