VENEZUELA
Facing Reality
Beleaguered Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro emerged stronger from gubernatorial elections on Sunday – at least on paper. But the electoral victory by his ruling Socialist Party has sparked allegations of fraud from the opposition and reignited street protests.
The head of Venezuela’s electoral council announced late Sundaythat candidates from Maduro’s party had won 17 of 23 state houses in contention, even though the controversial president is widely viewed as propelling the oil-rich country into its worst economic crisis in modern history, NPR reported.
Polls had predicted a major victory for the opposition, but pro-government candidates won 54 percent of the votes.
Among the irregularities cited by the opposition, the government relocated 200 polling stations at the eleventh hour, forcing hundreds of thousands to take long taxi or bus rides to vote. The opposition said Monday it would not recognize the results.
“We now realize that we live in a dictatorship,” one opposition candidate said.
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