On the 29th, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is giving his victory speech after winning the presidential election in Caracas, Venezuela. Despite breaking the expectations of Western media, President Nicolas Maduro secured his third term in office on the 28th (local time). However, there are allegations of electoral fraud due to the National Electoral Council (CNE) not disclosing real-time vote counting information, leading to strong backlash.
According to the Chairman of the Venezuelan National Electoral Council, Elvis Amoroso, President Maduro garnered approximately 51.2% of the vote, while the centrist opposition candidate, Henrique Capriles, received 44.2%. As a result, Maduro will lead Venezuela until 2031, ruling for a total of 18 years since first taking office in 2013.
After the late President Hugo Chavez, who ruled for over 30 years, Maduro’s victory in this election solidifies the continuation of the leftist United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) regime known as “Chavismo.” Maduro campaigned on promises of overcoming U.S. sanctions for economic revitalization, modernizing oil facilities, strengthening alliances with leftist governments in neighboring countries, and reclaiming sovereignty over disputed territories.
President Maduro, a prominent anti-American figure in Latin America, attributes the recent economic hardships in Venezuela to U.S. policies. The U.S. government has imposed strong economic sanctions on Venezuela, focusing on the oil and gas industry, citing violations of democracy and human rights.
However, amid concerns over the transparency of the election results, the centrist opposition accuses the government of election fraud. Reports indicate that there were clashes between citizens demanding access to polling stations for verification and the authorities. The defense minister of Maduro’s government, Vladimir Padrino Lopez, stated earlier that soldiers were deployed at key points to protect election-related data and infrastructure.
Contrary to the predicted exit polls where opposition candidate Capriles held a significant lead, Maduro’s victory was unexpected. Western media outlets also reported on Capriles’ anticipated victory, further highlighting the surprises surrounding the election process. Maduro is set to begin a new 6-year term on January 10th next year.