The president of Venezuela's electoral council has struck back at a voting-technology firm accusing the government of manipulating the voting for a new Constituent Assembly.
Tibisay Lucena Ramirez says legal actions could be taken against Smartmatic, the firm the government used for the vote.
"The electoral power reserves the appropriate legal actions for such an irresponsible declaration."
The pro-government electoral council claims more than 8 million people voted in Sunday's election for the powerful new Constituent Assembly.
Independent analysts have expressed doubts at that number.
Smartmatic's chief executive says the turnout figures have been inflated by at least 1 million votes.
The company's chief executive, Antonio Mugica, says the difference between the actual participation rate and that announced by authorities is at least 1 million votes.
"Smartmatic has provided election technology and support services in Venezuela since 2004. Even in moments of deep political conflict and division, we have been satisfied that the voting process and the count has been completely accurate. It is, therefore, with the deepest regret that we have to report that the turnout numbers on Sunday, 30th of July, for the Constituent Assembly in Venezuela were tampered with."
The president of Venezuela's opposition-controlled National Assembly says the legislature will call for an investigation into the claims.
Julio Borges says the findings disclosed by Smartmatic provide "complete confirmation" of what opposition leaders and independent analysts had suspected.
"The National Assembly wants to declare that today it is changing its agenda so that the main point of discussion becomes the fraud announced by the company Smartmatic and that, as we speak, a group of politicians from the National Assembly are on their way to the General Prosecutor's Office to immediately begin the penal investigation, because what has happened in Venezuela is not only a fraud, it was a crime that starts at the top of the electoral system."
The United States has repeatedly made its position on the voting process clear.
Vice President Mike Pence says Venezuela's descent into dictatorship is now complete, and he has called on other countries to condemn the Maduro government's actions.
"Not only did the regime hold a sham National Assembly election, but, on Monday night, the regime seized two prominent members of the opposition, Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma, who are being held illegally as we speak. President (Donald) Trump said yesterday that the United States condemns the actions of the Maduro dictatorship and that we will hold Maduro personally responsible for the health and safety of these two brave men."
The United States has imposed sanctions on President Maduro, freezing his assets subject to US jurisdiction and barring US citizens from doing business with him.
The European Union has declined to recognise the result of the election, saying it is ready to "gradually step up" pressure on President Maduro.
But it has not yet imposed sanctions.
