Venezuela has rejected calls for dialog with the US-backed opposition as hypocritical as long as Washington maintains pressure on Caracas, including in the form of foreign asset freezes.

Maduro’s leftist ruling party wins 20 of the 23 gubernatorial offices and the mayorship of the capital Caracas, the National Electoral Council (CNE) announced on Monday.

Venezuelans go the polls in regional and local elections, which include the main opposition parties that have participated for the first time in four years.

The Venezuelan government and the US-backed opposition began negotiations in August; however, after a member of the governments negotiating team was arrested and extradited to the US, the talks have stalled.

A funeral procession has been held for senior Iraqi Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Muhammad Saeed al-Hakim

Venezuela’s main opposition parties announce an end to three years of boycotting elections in a move praised by President Nicolas Maduro as “worthy of applause” for returning to democracy.

Haiti formally appoints Ariel Henry as its new prime minister following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise two weeks ago, which threw the already-troubled Caribbean country into further political chaos.