Nicolas Maduro wasted no time in declaring victory before the polls had even opened. The Venezuelan president laid a wreath at the tomb of his predecessor, Hugo Chavez, in Caracas and confidently proclaimed, “We are heading straight to victory.” And indeed, the next day he was announced as the winner with 51.21 per cent of the votes, igniting fireworks and lighted drones forming his image in the sky.
However, the circumstances surrounding Maduro’s victory are questionable. Exit polls showed different results and the opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, claimed to have evidence that her party had won significantly more votes than the incumbent.
As uncertainty looms over the legitimacy of Maduro’s win, Venezuela finds itself on a knife-edge. Protests erupted in the streets with citizens expressing their dissatisfaction with the current regime. Ordinary people from areas associated with Chavismo are joining in the demonstrations, tired of the economic recession and humanitarian crisis that has plagued their country.
Even before the election, concerns were raised about the transparency of the process. The limited number of Venezuelans allowed to vote abroad, the removal of Machado from the ballot, and the lack of international observers all cast a shadow over the election results.
For a population that has long suffered under Maduro’s rule, the recent election is seen as another chapter in the regime’s questionable practices. The future of Venezuela hangs in the balance as Maduro’s grip on power becomes increasingly fragile, impacting not only the country’s politics but also its economic prospects.
