Voting has ended in the Venezuelan presidential election. The country's leader for the next six years will be revealed very soon. Incumbent President Nicolas Maduro is widely expected to secure a second term. But the election process has been overshadowed by fraud claims and a boycott by the opposition. CGTN's Stephen Gibbs reports from Caracas.

The President was the very first to vote. Casting his ballot just after dawn. The fact this election is happening, he said, is a victory itself.

NICOLAS MADURO VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT "There has been a fierce campaign led by Donald Trump's government in the US, there has been pressure to try to discredit the Venezuelan elections, but they couldn't."

His main rival in this controversial process is former governor Henri Falcon, who cast his vote in the northern state of Lara. With the main opposition coalition calling for a boycott, President Maduro will be hoping to show that was massive participation. At this voting center - in a traditionally pro-government area of Caracas, there did seem to be fewer people than in previous years. Amongst those coming to vote, we saw the President of Venezuela's supreme court - one of several senior figures in the Maduro government who has been sanctioned by the United States. Government supporters we spoke to echoed President Maduro's view that casting a vote is less about politics, and more about patriotism.

WOMAN VOX "We are defending our country. And if we don't defend it who is going to defend us Foreigners From other countries No. We are the only ones that can defend ourselves."

Across town, we found hardly anyone at all at this opposition stronghold - apart from one woman, who said she was not voting.

WOMAN VOX "For first time, I'm not voting, because I don't believe in these elections."

The opposition is already saying that is the majority view. The result we are expecting in the early hours of the morning here in Caracas. Then, in the coming days we will find out which countries accept the vote, which do not, and what they are planning to do.

Stephen Gibbs, CGTN Caracas.