Venezuela vote council says audit confirms Maduro victory

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro reacts while attending a mass at the mausoleum of late President Hugo Chavez to mark three months after his death in Caracas, June 5, 2013. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's election council said on Tuesday an audit of the results of presidential elections in April confirmed President Nicolas Maduro did win by 1.5 percentage points, despite opposition claims that the vote was stolen.

The widely expected announcement by the National Electoral Council, which oversees elections, left losing candidate Henrique Capriles with only a court challenge remaining in what appears to be a futile effort to overturn the victory of Maduro, who succeeded the late socialist leader Hugo Chavez.