Political Drama in Venezuela: An Account from Caracas Election Day

In the heart of Caracas, I stumbled upon an electrifying election night spectacle during Venezuela's presidential race of July 2018. A seasoned analyst of Brazilian politics, I was there to cover the events for TeleSur English, a multinational public TV news network. Despite my expertise in Brazil, I wasn't a specialist in Venezuela's political landscape. This article isn't an in-depth analysis, but a vivid account of the happenings that unfolded before my very eyes. I invite readers to draw their own conclusions from my observations.

I started my day bright and early—at 4:45 AM—alongside two cameramen, a producer, and a Spanish-language reporter. Throughout the day, we reported live from four polling stations scattered around the city, spending the afternoon at the Andres Bello center, a middle-class voting district in downtown Caracas. We conducted live hits at 2:30, 3:30, and 4:30, initially stationed inside the polling station but moving out front as the polls closed.

The single-file line outside Andres Bello stretched around the block early in the day. Throughout the morning, the polling stations were buzzing with people, leading other journalists to predict a staggering turnout, with some estimating over 70%. However, the crowds thinned out after lunch, and by 2:30, our hallways were filled with more volunteers gossiping than voters.

When we left Andres Bello at 5:50 to cover the closing of the polls, we found ourselves surrounded by an eclectic mix of TV crews, social media videographers, and citizens who eagerly watched the doors shut. Soon after, a larger crowd gathered, crying for the chance to vote. Argentina's Javier Milei-aligned Channel 13 joined the throng, streaming the entire scene as a reporter berated the authorities for denying the crowd the right to vote.

Half an hour later, a boisterous mob of motorcyclists descended upon the scene. Their bikes, some with tweaked engines, were loud and unmissable, and some riders donned black hoods and masks. They blocked off the road in front of the polling station and revved their engines up as the crowd continued to roar, "Viva Venezuela!" I prepared to record a report when a burly man in the crowd glared at me, said, "Nicolas Maduro," and mimed a throat-slitting gesture.

Moments later, another group of motorcyclists emerged from the chaos, charging towards the door, pushing at the police. I hurriedly moved back to avoid being trampled. As I watched from a safe distance, I saw two male police officers running by me carrying an injured female officer, bleeding from the head. She was whisked away in a motorcycle towards a hospital. I witnessed no injuries in the crowd of Maria Corina Machado supporters.

Shortly afterward, a reinforced contingent of police officers arrived, replacing the original five guards. Smartphones wielded by far-right social media influencers frantically captured footage, making it appear as though they were in the thick of a massive crowd.

As the evening wore on, I chatted with fellow journalists covering the election. They recounted similar events from other polling stations. One journalist told me that, at her location, the crowd began chanting, "Shut the doors! Shut the doors!" at 6 PM, only to switch to "Let us vote! Let us vote!" as soon as the doors shut. Maria Corina Machado, Edmundo Gonzalez, and the PUD had declared weeks before the election that they would not abide by democratic norms and would tally their own election results. The chaotic scene at Andres Bello appeared to be a grand performance, orchestrated to produce and disseminate videos designed to delegitimize the election across Caracas' polling stations.

These opinions are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Venezuelanalysis editorial staff.

Source: De-Linking Brazil

Enrichment Data: Although the search results do not specify María Corina Machado's role in the 2018 Venezuelan elections, they offer insight into her subsequent political maneuvers:

Disqualification from 2024 Elections Machado was precluded from participating in the 2024 election cycle due to a disqualification sanctioned by Venezuela’s Supreme Tribunal.
Leadership of Vente Venezuela Following her disqualification, Machado has led Vente Venezuela, a political organization that advocates electoral integrity.
2023–2024 Opposition Challenges Her allies faced arbitrary detentions, and her preferred replacement candidate was blocked from registering. Machado opposed Maduro’s regional elections in 2025.
my vivid account of Venezuela's presidential race in July 2018 includes encounters with Maria Corina Machado supporters, who were present at the Andres Bello polling station;
on election night, a boisterous mob of motorcyclists, some wearing black hoods and masks, descended upon the Andres Bello polling station, creating a chaotic scene;
despite the chaotic events that unfolded at Andres Bello, no injuries were reported among Maria Corina Machado supporters;
post-election, Maria Corina Machado, along with her political organization Vente Venezuela, has advocated for electoral integrity and opposed Maduro’s regional elections in 2025.