CARACAS, Venezuela >> President Nicolás Maduro on Wednesday asked Venezuela’s Supreme Court to conduct an audit of the presidential election after opposition leaders disputed his claim of victory, drawing criticism from foreign observers who said the court is too close to the government to produce an independent review.

Maduro told reporters Wednesday that the ruling party is also ready to show all the vote tally sheets from Sunday’s election.

“I throw myself before justice,” he said to reporters outside the Supreme Court’s headquarters in Caracas.

This is Maduro’s first concession to demands for more transparency about the election. However, the Supreme Court is closely aligned with his government; the court’s justices are proposed by federal officials and are ratified by the National Assembly, which is dominated by Maduro sympathizers.

— The Associated Press