Venezuela’s authoritarian president, Nicolás Maduro, has won a third term in office, the Electoral Council (CNE) announced on Monday. Maduro won about 51% of the vote, beating opposition candidate Edmundo González, who secured about 44%, the CNE said. Ten candidates ran in the presidential election, with several opinion polls prior to the election placing González ahead of Maduro, who has been in charge of the South American country for 11 turbulent years. Ahead of the vote, few observers inside or outside Venezuela expected a free and fair election. In the run up to election day, numerous mem…