During the day, two deaths and two dozen injured were reported in events supposedly related to the elections.
This Sunday, in regional elections in which only 40% of the electoral registry participated, the Venezuelan opposition showed its crisis and Chavismo confirmed its power.
Of the 23 governorates in dispute, the ruling party prevailed in 20, while the opposition parties won in 3 states, said the president of the National Electoral Council, Pedro Calzadilla.
The official added that in the mayor of Caracas the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) also won.
The data on the other elections, in 334 mayors and hundreds of local councils, were not announced in the first bulletin, released at midnight on Sunday.
The regional and municipal elections on November 21 were the first elections in 4 years in which the majority of the opposition forces participated, who boycotted previous elections for alleged lack of guarantees.
The election counted on the observation of several international entities, among them the United Nations and the European Union, and it took place after an unprecedented renewal of the directors of the CNE seeking greater transparency.
The elections did not have the vote of Venezuelans abroad, some 4 million people – in a registry of 20 million voters – who, in principle, are a key force for the opposition.
During the day, two deaths and two dozen injured were reported in events supposedly related to the elections.
Although there were innumerable complaints of irregularities that supposedly favored the ruling party, the CNE rectors assured that there was progress compared to previous elections in terms of balance, transparency and respect for the free and safe vote.
An opposition in crisis
“The elections took their toll on the mistakes of the opposition,” says Daniel Pardo, BBC Mundo’s special envoy to Caracas.
“Because they lost electoral muscle in 4 years of not participating, they announced the participation too close to the date of the contest and they arrived at the same divided and fought ”.
To this is added that a part of the opposition, that led by Leopoldo López and Juan Guaidó, called on its followers not to participate.
“In a country where polls show that 20% of the population reject Chavismo, the opposition’s failures are not only explained by the advantages on the electoral board, but also by the errors within its group,” concludes Pardo.
Henrique Capriles, former presidential candidate and key figure in the return of the opposition to the race, celebrated the participation of almost 9 million Venezuelans and assured that “once we have total results by states and municipalities and the national sum, we will make the necessary balance that corresponds ”.
Manuel Rosales, governor-elect in the state of Zulia, the most populous in the country, said: “Today it was demonstrated that Zulia is the land of brave, vigorous men and women and defenders of freedom. Zulia, a heroic people, today won democracy and the compromise triumphed. Hope won! “
“Product of persevering work”
For his part, the president, Nicolás Maduro, said after the elections: “I call on all representatives of political organizations to respect the results and I extend my hand to political dialogue and national reunification.”
The president added that “we have won 21 entities, including Caracas, a good victory (…) this is the product of persevering work and of bringing the truth with rectitude to all communities.”
The ruling party’s campaign focused on achievements such as reducing the homicide rate and having solved the shortage with a de facto dollarization.
However, Venezuela’s economy is today a third of what it was 5 years ago, oil production has declined, and hyperinflation has generated inequality unprecedented in the country’s history.
Maduro also referred to the sanctions on charges of corruption and human rights violations imposed by the United States on officials of his government. “We have created awareness and we will continue to rectify what we must rectify”Maduro said.
The regional elections, in addition to renewing local powers, had symbolically become a relaunch of the so-called “moderate opposition” and a measure of forces in the face of the negotiation process between the government and the opposition in Mexico, where a resumption is expected. of conversations in January.
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