WASHINGTON, Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed with his Colombian counterpart, Luis Gilberto Murillo, the ongoing crisis in Venezuela following the presidential elections. The National Electoral Council of Venezuela declared incumbent President Nicolas Maduro the winner, while the opposition insisted that their candidate was the rightful winner. In a statement released on Monday, Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said that Blinken thanked Murillo during a phone call for Colombia's efforts to facilitate dialogue aimed at restoring democracy in Venezuela. Both diplomats emphasized the necessity for Venezuelan electoral authorities to release transparent polling station results from the presidential elections and urged Venezuelan security forces to cease violations of human rights and freedom of expression. Blinken and Murillo also underscored the importance of regional unity, including within the Organization of American States (OAS), to exert additional pressure on Venezuela to return to a democratic path. Earlier this month, the US recognized Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as the winner of the Venezuelan presidential elections, claiming that there was evidence in his favor, according to Blinken. The US administration also rejected Maduro's claims against the opposition leaders, condemning threats by Maduro and his representatives to arrest opposition figures, including Edmundo Gonzalez and Maria Corina Machado - Former Deputy of the National Assembly of Venezuela - describing it as an undemocratic attempt to suppress political participation and retain power. Protests erupted in Venezuela in response to the announcement of Maduro's victory, who has been in power since the death of former President Hugo Chavez in 2013. Source: Kuwait News Agency