Edmundo González, who ran as the opposition candidate, announced on Monday that his campaign has the proof it needs to show he won the election.

Mr González and Maria Corina Machado, the opposition leader, told reporters they have obtained more than 70 per cent of tally sheets from Sunday’s election, and they show Mr González with more than double Mr Maduro’s votes.

“I speak to you with the calmness of the truth,” Mr González said as dozens of supporters cheered outside campaign headquarters in Caracas. “We have in our hands the tally sheets that demonstrate our categorical and mathematically irreversible victory.”

Both called on protesters to remain calm and invited them to gather peacefully at 11am (4pm BST) on Tuesday to celebrate the results.

Edison research, a company that provided election data for the Venezuelan election, published exit poll results that show Mr González as the winner by 65 per cent.

Several foreign governments, including the US and the EU, held off recognising the election results.