Venezuela's Maduro Secures a Landslide Victory in Election Avoided by Opposition
Venezuela: PSUV Wins Majority in Controversial Parliamentary and Regional Elections
In a controversial parliamentary and regional election held in Venezuela yesterday, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) secured a large majority, winning 23 out of 24 state governor positions and gathering 82.68% of the votes cast for National Assembly members, according to the country's electoral council (CNE). However, amid allegations of irregularities and opposition boycotts, the international community and many democratically-minded Venezuelans have expressed skepticism regarding the legitimacy and democratic validity of the election.
The constituency-level results of the parliamentary vote are yet to be tallied. The main opposition group, led by popular figurehead Maria Corina Machado, urged voters to stay away, deeming the election a "farce," due to what she described as a lack of democratic safeguards and the widespread use of repression. AFP journalists, visiting several cities, reported significantly lower turnout compared to the 2024 presidential election. The CNE put voter turnout at slightly over 42% of Venezuela’s 21 million eligible voters.
The run-up to the vote was marred by mass arrests and a new crackdown on dissent. Over 70 people were arrested on suspicion of planning to "sabotage" the election, including leading opposition member Juan Pablo Guanipa. He was held on charges of heading the "terrorist network" behind the alleged plot. Venezuela's authoritarian leftist government frequently accuses foreign-backed, opposition-led initiatives of seeking to topple President Nicolas Maduro, who took over upon the death of his mentor, socialist firebrand Hugo Chavez in 2013.
On Sunday, Maduro hailed the election results as a "victory of peace and stability," claiming it demonstrated the power of Chavismo. However, international independent electoral observers and organizations have highlighted the fraudulent nature of the elections and lack of credible democratic procedures. The United States and allied countries have condemned the elections as illegitimate, pointing to the repression of opposition and the lack of free and fair conditions.
Some regional organizations, such as the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), have expressed support for Venezuela’s government and called for respect for its sovereignty. However, the Maduro government’s characterization of the election as a legitimate demonstration of popular support and political stability has been met with criticism and dismissal from opposition leaders, who have called the contests a "parody" under conditions of brutal repression. The opposition faces persecution, with many figures seeking refuge in diplomatic compounds to avoid arrest. The opposition criticizes the centralized control exercised by the Maduro government, including the disqualification of candidates and manipulation of institutions to undermine elected opponents.
- The controversial parliamentary election results in Venezuela showed the PSUV holding a dominant position by winning 82.68% of the National Assembly seats and 23 governor positions out of 24, further solidifying President Maduro's hold on politics and policy-and-legislation.
- Despite the election, war-and-conflicts within Venezuelan politics continue to persist, as the opposition, led by Maria Corina Machado, views the election as a fabricated farce due to alleged irregularities, repression, and a lack of democratic safeguards, causing skepticism among many democratically-minded Venezuelans and the international community.
- General news outlets have reported on the multifaceted political landscape in Venezuela, with ironic contest claims of a "victory of peace and stability" being met with dismissal from opposition leaders, who point to instances of repression, fraudulent elections, and centralized control, negatively impacting the legitimacy and validity of the election and the overall stability of the country.
