Venezuela’s Government moves forward with regional elections
The former vice-president, Aristóbulo Isturiz, said that the elections will be held on October 15th
Despite the fact that the Electoral National Council hasn’t announced the official date yet, the former vice-president, and the candidate for Anzoátegui’s Governorship, Aristóbulo Isturiz announced that the polls would still move forward. The regional elections were originally planned for the first days of December.
Isturiz, who is also member of the National Constituent Assembly, loyal to president Nicolás Maduro, explained that the elections will be held early to “consolidate the peace” and force the opposition to make their campaigns in a “peaceful manner”.
However, many experts assured that this strategy was thought of because Maduro’s party now controls every branch of the State. Even the legislative power, which was gained in a “antidemocratic approach” by calling for a Constituent Assembly without asking the Venezuelan people first.
The speed with which the electoral power is able to call for the regional election after the request of the Maduro’s Government contrasts with the difficulties that the oppositions had in 2016 when they requested a national call for a Presidential Recall Referendum. Due to the obstacles imposed by the National Electoral Council, the initiative failed.
The Venezuelan Regional Elections were supposed to be held in the first semester of 2017. However, the political, humanitarian, and social crisis that is currently happening within the country, and the decrease of the popularity of the ruling party, caused the postponement of the election.
Latin American Post | Santiago Gómez Hernández
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