HAVANA, July 30. /TASS/. Cuba expresses firm support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and the people of that country in light of protests underway there, contesting election results, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said.

"We are expressing our firm support for our brother Nicolas Maduro and the people of the Bolivarian Republic amid the campaign of accusations and political and media manipulations aiming to repeat the failed attempts to install a Fascist government in Venezuela," he wrote on Monday on his page on X.

Earlier, protest rallies kicked off in the Venezuelan capital and several other cities, contesting the results of the July 28 election.

According to a statement by the National Electoral Council published after 80% of ballots were counted, incumbent president Nicolas Maduro was supported by 5,150,092 voters or 51.2%. His main opponent, Edmundo Gonzalez who is representing right-wing parties, garnered 4,445,978 votes or 44.2%. Opposition leader Corina Machado did not recognize the election results, alleging election fraud, and proclaimed Gonzalez the winner.