Venezuelan authorities ratified Nicolas Maduro's election victory as the number of nations recognizing his opposition rival as the true winner mounted.
Gripped by anxiety after Sunday's disputed presidential vote, the oil-rich nation braced for fresh protests as both Mr Maduro and the opposition called for their supporters to demonstrate this weekend.
Argentina, Ecuador, Uruguay and Costa Rica recognized opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as the president-elect of Venezuela, joining the United States and Peru in rejecting the official results.
Venezuela's election authority meanwhile ratified Mr Maduro's win with 52% of the vote and said Mr Gonzalez Urrutia had garnered 43% of ballots.
Mr Maduro, 61, has reacted fiercely to criticism of his victory and has vowed to lock up opposition leader Maria Corina Machado and her presidential candidate Mr Gonzalez Urrutia, saying they "should be behind bars."
Mr Gonzalez Urrutia did not show up to a hearing at the Supreme Court after Mr Maduro requested the tribunal investigate and certify the election result.
However, other opposition candidates summoned to the hearing called for a detailed vote count to be made public.
Voting records "are fundamental for transparency, they are fundamental for peace," said Enrique Marquez, who also ran against Mr Maduro, as part of a smaller opposition group.
Tensions remain high
Earlier, a major Venezuelan opposition movement said its headquarters had been vandalised amid ongoing tensions.
Vente Venezuela, the movement headed by Venezuela's opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, said that six hooded, unidentified men overpowered its security guards overnight, entering its Caracas headquarters, taking equipment and vandalising the location.
"We denounce the attacks and insecurity to which we are subjected for political reasons," the movement said on social media.
Countries around the region, including Brazil, Mexico and Colombia, have called on Venezuela's government to release detailed voting tallies after the elections board declared President Nicolas Maduro the winner of a third term.
Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said that the US is "at the forefront of a coup attempt" after the US State Department a day earlier recognised Mr Maduro's opponent and opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez as the election's winner.
The country's opposition says its tally of about 90% of the votes shows its candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia received more than double the support of the incumbent president, in line with independent polling conducted before the contest.
The opposition has released detailed tallies on a public website, but the government has so far not shared any information beyond a national total of votes for each candidate.
The current presidents of Brazil, Colombia and Mexico have traditionally been friendlier with Mr Maduro and have adopted a more neutral stance on the election, as countries around the world call for the release of full tallies.
"We call on the electoral authorities in Venezuela to move ahead quickly and let itemized ballot box level results be known publicly," Brazil, Mexico and Colombia said in a joint statement after a call between their presidents Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Gustavo Petro.
Results should be verified impartially, the countries said, and all political actors should avoid an escalation of violence and electoral controversies should be solved via institutions.
"We reiterate our willingness to support dialogue efforts and the search for agreements that benefit the Venezuelan people," the statement said.
Mr Maduro has also requested a call with Lula, a Brazilian source said.
'Overwhelming evidence' opposition candidate won most votes - Blinken
The United States on Thursday recognized Maduro's opponent and opposition candidate Gonzalez as the winner, rejecting the Venezuelan president's victory claim.
"Given the overwhelming evidence, it is clear to the United States and, most importantly, to the Venezuelan people that Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia won the most votes in Venezuela's July 28 presidential election," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Thursday.
The disputed election has led to deadly protests that Mr Maduro and his allies in the military have denounced as an attempted coup.
Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday it had received reports of 20 deaths in post-election demonstrations.
The protests closed shops and caused cuts to public transport around Venezuela, which is mired in a deep and lengthy economic crisis marked by high inflation, but many places were returning to normality by Thursday.
Major government figures including Mr Maduro have said Mr Gonzalez and Ms Machado should be held responsible for the anti-government protests, with some going as far as to call for their arrests.
There have been more than 1,200 arrests of protesters, Mr Maduro said yesterday, and the government is seeking 1,000 more.
