Caracas, Capital District, Venezuela

Polling stations across Venezuela opened Sunday for a presidential election boycotted by the opposition in which President Nicolas Maduro is expected to be easily reelected.

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Maduro, the political heir to the late leftist firebrand Hugo Chavez, is expected to defeat Henri Falcon, a former army officer who failed to gain the endorsement of the main opposition leaders, and evangelical candidate Javier Bertucci. 

Polls opened at 6 am (1000 GMT) and are scheduled to close at 6 pm (2200 GMT).