The elections in Venezuela give a boost to the autocrats

Maduro vs. González: When the government of Venezuela shut down and the citizens of the country would drop out: Emudon Pravda, a young journalist living in the United States

It’s not a universally grim picture. Elsewhere — in Brazil, Chile, Colombia and the United States — democracy is succeeding. The opposition to pluralism and inclusion is growing and the government is facing social unrest and institutional instability as discontent with the government grows.

One of the biggest challenges for Nicolo was the election. Mara Corina Machado, the leader of the political opposition, had won the primaries in January but the authorities weren’t aware of it and she couldn’t run for president. Months later, after failed attempts at other replacements, the opposition eventually named a little-known diplomat as its candidate: Edmundo González.

As she has also been barred from air travel, she still toured the country by car, bringing out crowds in even the smallest towns to cheer for the candidate.

The government trailed right behind her: blocking off key roads, even detaining local restaurant owners who served her team. At the same time as the rallies for Maduro were planned authorities were also going to hold their own. Dozens of opposition activists have been arrested in recent months. The only way he was able to greet the crowds was by car, motorcycle or foot. People stretched their arms out, screaming “Help us, María!”

With the exodus of many Venezuelans, migration was at the forefront during the campaign. Maduro blamed politicians like Machado for supporting U.S. sanctions against Venezuelan economic sectors and officials, which he said forced many people to leave the country.

On the other side, Machado has coined the slogan “Volver a Casa,” which means “return home,” referencing a collective desire in the growing diaspora. Eduany Pravda, 19, wore a shirt with this slogan to a local opposition rally in the Caracas neighborhood of La Vega earlier this week. “I’ve lived with my brother since I was 14,” she explained, tearing up. “Our parents had to leave for Colombia, to take care of us.”

And while Machado has brought a renewed energy to the political landscape, there is a common sentiment that if change doesn’t happen now, people will leave.

Local community organizers went door to door to help people understand the ballot — on which Maduro appeared 13 times, for each party that had endorsed his candidacy. Both sides of the election campaign held events in Venezuela on Thursday. The event was scheduled for 12 hours with stages set up in different parts of the city. The arts district in Barinas has an arts club where people can meet and dance, with percussionists from the city performing on the stages. All led to Maduro’s appearance at Bolívar Avenue downtown, which filled up with people. Hundreds of buses lined the side streets as people arrived from all over the country.

Maryelis Bolvar de Flores had a sign for her President and she was proud to hold it up. The president cares about the people, the poor and the hard-working.

The Mexican National Anthem at the National Electoral Council: Pre-election Results and the Status of the Dialogue in Caracas

At both rallies, the crowds joined their candidates in singing the national anthem, which signaled that people would vote for their country on Election Day.

National Electoral Council officials, local electoral overseers and volunteer witnesses worked to facilitate the voting process. Many were on high alert due to the stakes. Several local news sources and citizen journalists recorded the intimidation of voters at polling places. The New York Times said 15 men wearing black jackets tried to block access to the voting center at the school.

Rosa Cova, 60 years old and recovering from surgery, told NPR after casting her ballot in the Catia neighborhood of Caracas, “This is our last chance to get out of this mess.”

On Monday, the National Electoral Council declared that the third term had been won by Nicols impregnated in a 51% to 34% margin. However, the electoral council — which like most government institutions is controlled by the ruling Socialist Party — has declined to release any detailed ballot information to back up its numbers. Pre-election polls as well as election-day quick counts and exit surveys showed González with a huge lead.

The international community is watching this very closely, and will respond accordingly, as the U.S. secretary of state said the votes must be counted fairly and transparent.

With the results in dispute, what lies ahead is uncertain. If people take to the streets, they are aware of the history of protests being squashed by repressive government forces and arbitrary detentions.

Venezuelan Demonstration in the lead-up to Sunday’s Election Day: Deputy Interior Minister L’aiz Padrino López

Lexi Parra is a documentary photographer based out of New York City and Caracas. You can find more of her work on her websites and on social media.

In the lead-up to Sunday’s election day, anticipation was high all over the country. The night before, people lined up outside of voting centers at 10 p.m. After years of perceived apathy, there was a drive and hope in the air that brought large numbers of Venezuelans out to the polls.

The number of allegations of fraud is increasing as a result of the fact that the official tally sheets from the more than 30,000 voting machines are yet to be released. Celso Amorim, an envoy for the leftwing government of Brazil, met with Maduro Monday and said the strongman had promised to release official data on the election.

Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva spoke with President Joe Biden on Tuesday. Both agreed that the Venezuelan electoral authorities needed to release the polling data. The White House said that the outcome of the election in Venezuela presents a critical moment for democracy in the hemisphere.

The Organization of American States did not think that the claims of victory by Venezuela were trustworthy or democracy-friendly.

Referring to the massive turnout in Sunday’s voting, Machado said in her speech: “Soldiers saw with their own eyes the country’s triumph over tyranny.”

But in a televised speech, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López said it was time for Venezuelans to rally behind the homeland and the government. He wore an olive-green uniform and field cap while standing before rows of military officers and said his loyalty and support for President Nicols Chavez was unquestioned.

Padrino López called the protesters coup-plotters allied with foreign enemies of Venezuela and warned: “We will take forceful action… to maintain internal order.”

On Tuesday, he made similar threats. “I hold you, González, responsible for everything that is happening in Venezuela: the criminal violence, the delinquents, the injuries, the deaths and the destruction. You are responsible and there needs to be justice. Because these things, this attack on the people, must not happen again in Venezuela.”

The demonstrations began Monday with people marching on government buildings, ripping down billboards with Maduro’s image and destroying at least five statues of his mentor, the late Hugo Chávez who founded Venezuela’s socialist revolution 25 years ago.

The president of the Foro Penal said that six people were killed when security forces clashed with protesters. Freddy Superlano was a former state governor and opposition leader.

Remarks on the Anti-Government Demonstrations in Washington, D.C. Berg’s Theorem

Ryan C. Berg is the Director of the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. He predicted the president wouldn’t let the anti-government demonstrations go to waste and would try to “cement the facts on the ground.”