Venezuela faces more isolation, sanctions after contested vote

The United States condemned closely watched regional elections in Venezuela as neither free nor fair Monday, as European countries weighed imposing sanctions, leaving President Nicolas Maduro increasingly isolated after declaring a landslide win. Maduro’s opponents cried foul after official results said his socialist party won governorships in 17 of the troubled oil producer’s 23 states in Sunday’s elections, defying opinion polls. Experts said Venezuela’s punishing political and economic crisis will only deepen. But it is unclear what moves are now open to the opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), which rejected any talks with the government without a full recount. More…