Contested Elections in Venezuela

!!!

On October 15, 2017, President Nicolás Maduro’s government said it had won a landslide victory in the closely watched election of state governors. The outcome shocked many experts amid claims by the opposition of fraud, manipulation, and official intimidation. Many international observers called the official results “suspicious.” Maduro’s supporters claimed to have won the governorships of 17 of the 23 states with the opposition Mesa de Unidad Democrática (MUD) coalition taking only five, according to the tallies announced by the Consejo Nacional Electoral (National Elections Council, CNE). Some observers emphasized government manipulation, others stressed the outcome as a democratic success story, and finally, even detractors of the Maduro government pointed to opposition failures and Madurista vitality.

To read the full content subscribe today!