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A precedent in Venezuela

2022-01-12T03:17:19.303Z


The dialogue process between the opposition and the Government may be reinforced by the victory of the Democratic Unity Table in Barinas


The clear victory obtained this Sunday by the opposition in the Venezuelan state of Barinas clearly identifies a fertile route in future electoral contests for the democratic forces opposed to the Nicolás Maduro regime. After the controversial and interested repetition of the elections ordered by the Supreme Court, the opposition managed to form a common front in a territory where different members of the Chávez family have ruled for 20 years. The result has been more forceful than in the first elections and the candidate for the Democratic Unity Table, Sergio Garrido, won with 57% of the votes (16 points above his rival). Furthermore, more than half of the electorate went to the polls, a particularly relevant figure in a country with very high abstention figures.

The victory in a state of strong symbolic value reveals the failure of President Nicolás Maduro's strategy. It has been of little use to mobilize 25,000 police and military personnel for barely a thousand polling stations, the distribution of refrigerators and electrical appliances, or the refueling of gasoline and gas after months of famine. That strategy could have a counterproductive effect on the aspirations of the Executive by giving an exceptional rank to local elections: the failure concerns the government of Nicolás Maduro itself beyond the regional dimension of the elections, and turns the result into a government defeat.

The implicit lessons for both the government and the opposition are multiple and could mean a turning point in the future: the parties opposed to Maduro have proven the benefits of putting a common goal before the internal struggles that divide them. The best way to obtain a positive result has been shown in a hypothetical recall of the head of State and, of course, before the presidential elections of 2024. For the Maduro Executive, the example of Barinas contains a not very optimistic message about the acceptance of his current policies. Although it controls the bulk of state and national power, its measures have plunged the country into an acute economic crisis, expelled millions of citizens and generated enormous social detachment.In the Barinas elections, the political game of taking a step forward before the international community and immediately afterwards another behind has not had any effectiveness.

The greatest urgency in Venezuela continues to be credible dialogue between the opposition and the government.

It depends not only on the willingness of their respective leaders, but also on external pressure for that to happen and that both the United States and the European Union encourage the conditions for free and guaranteed presidential elections.

The Barinas experience can breathe new life into that strategy.

More information

The victory in Barinas returns the illusion to the Venezuelan opposition

Source: elparis

All news articles on 2022-01-12

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