Government, opposition both claim Venezuela election win, official results questioned

CARACAS (Reuters) - President Nicolas Maduro and his opposition rival Edmundo Gonzalez both claimed victory in Venezuela's presidential election on Monday as Washington and other foreign governments cast doubt on official results that gave the incumbent a win.

The national electoral authority said just after midnight that Maduro had won a third term with 51% of the vote - a result that would extend a quarter-century of socialist rule.

But independent exit polls pointed to a big opposition win following enthusiastic shows of support for Gonzalez and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado on the campaign trail.