Political Drama in Venezuela: A Report from Caracas on Election Day
Laid-back Guide to Venezuela's Chaotic Election Night Coverage
I found myself amidst Venezuela's tumultuous three-week presidential campaign, the elections, and the post-election havoc, all while working for TeleSur English. While I'm no specialist in Venezuelan politics (I'm more of a Brazil analyst), this ain't an analysis piece but a down-and-dirty account of what unfolded on election night. Feel free to use the info to make your own informed conclusions about the political mess.
On Sunday, July 28, I clocked in at 4:45 AM and was working till 2 AM the next mornin', alongside two cameramen, a producer, and a Spanish-speakin' reporter. Throughout the day, we hopped from one polling station in Caracas' city center to another, doin' live reports multiple times at each, from inside and outside the stations. We ended the night sittin' behind Miraflores Palace, waitin' for the results.
The middle-class Andres Bello polling center was our afternoon hangout. We did several live reports at 2:30, 3:30, and 4:30, then moved outside right before the polls closed. Even at 6 AM when we first arrived, the line outside stretched around the block. Crowds kept pourin' in all morning, leading reporters like me to make wild guesses on voter turnout, with some predictin' over 70%. However, as the day wore on, the crowds began to thin out after lunchtime.
Andres Bello, a massive polling station, had more volunteers chattin' it up than voters in the final hours before the polls closed. By 5:50, we hightailed it outta there to position ourselves at the pollin' station's entrance to cover the closing. The government ordered all stations to shut their doors at 6, but Andres Bello stayed open for another 10 minutes or so, admiting a few late voters - about 4 or 5 people, including an elderly couple who had a hard time walkin'.
A crowd of around 40 TV crews and social media videographers had gathered by the time they closed the doors. Around 30 excited citizens cheered as the doors shut, while a group of about 5 police officers acted as security. A few minutes later, a mob of around 100 people started screamin', "Let us vote! Let us vote!" YouTube and Twitter feeds filled with angry white men yellin' at the police.
Suddenly, dozens of motorcyclists stormed the area. They blocked off the road in front of the polling station and revved their engines as the crowd chanted, "Viva Venezuela!" A buff, white dude glared at me, said, "Nicolas Maduro," and slashed his throat with his hand.
Riot control police with plexiglass shields and helmets soon showed up. The YouTube and Twitter streams of angry white men lettin' loose suddenly didn't seem so heroic anymore. The tactics used were a clever move, clear as day.
The pro-Maria Corina Machado supporters lingered on, yellin', "We want the results! We want the results!" One journalist I met up with later relayed similar stories from other polling stations. One spot even started yellin' "Shut the doors! Shut the doors!" at 6, only to switch to "Let us vote! Let us vote!" seconds later as the doors closed.
Machado, Edmundo Gonzalez, and the PUD had announced weeks before that they wouldn't respect the democratic rule of law and instead tally their own results. What played out in front of Andres Bello appears to have been a form of theater, one of many strategies election night spectacles at polling stations across Caracas.
This article's views are my own and don't necessarily represent those of the Venezuelanalysis editorial staff.
Source: De-Linking Brazil
Maria Corina Machado and other opposition figures, like her, have used multiple tactics to question election results, such as claimin' electoral fraud, employin' media and social networks to raise awareness, organizin' protests, seekin' international support, and pursuin' legal avenues. However, specific details of Machado's direct involvement in these tactics during the 2013 election aren't readily available.
- Venezuelanalysis stories often cover the political landscape in Venezuela, including the recent presidential election and its aftermath, as was the case with my experience working for TeleSur English.
- Polling stations in Venezuela, such as the one at Andres Bello, were the focus of our coverage on election night, with live reports taking place multiple times throughout the day.
- General news outlets, including Twitter and YouTube, were filled with passionate responses and stories related to the election results, as was evident from the demonstrations witnessed at the Andres Bello polling station.
- Crime and justice issues in Venezuela were highlighted during election night, with media reports of unrest and confrontations between protesters and security forces at specific polling stations.
