The political atmosphere in Venezuela is heating up as the July 28 election approaches. The campaign has become increasingly violent and despotic under the ruling Chavista regime. Observers are questioning whether Nicolás Maduro, facing an election that threatens his regime, would accept a hypothetical defeat or possibly suspend the elections last minute. Moreover, there are doubts about whether there will be a transparent and uncorrupted vote count.
Amidst this political turmoil and an almost exhausted electoral calendar, the Chavista regime has ramped up its radical rhetoric. On Saturday, July 20, the regime announced an unusual campaign closure by Maduro as a prelude to the election.
Jorge Rodríguez, the head of the official campaign command, confirmed in a press conference that Chavista supporters are gearing up to “take over Greater Caracas” on Thursday, July 25.
“Authoritarians dislike this”
The practice of professional and critical journalism is a fundamental pillar of democracy, which is why it bothers those who believe they hold the absolute truth.
In other news, the official ballot for the July presidential elections features 13 pictures of Maduro.
“We are going to take to the streets of Greater Caracas with all the people from 10 AM until 10 PM. Millions will participate in the largest march this country has ever seen, with over 60,000 motorcyclists,” explained a close associate of Nicolás Maduro. The idea of “motorcyclists” is concerning, as these militias have been a major source of violence against opposition supporters during the regime’s worst moments.
While the government touts this mobilization in the Venezuelan capital as the “largest march in the country’s history,” similar events are planned across the 23 states, with the entire campaign machinery backing Maduro in the final stretch leading to July 28.
Maduro continues to insist that “the election results will determine peace or war in Venezuela.” He even warned of a “bloodbath” in case of an opposition victory. The leading opposition candidate is Edmundo González Urrutia, chosen after the regime disqualified María Corina Machado through a judiciary controlled by the regime.
Maduro has also accused the opposition, represented by the Democratic Unity Platform (PUD), of “tarnishing the electoral process” by alleging potential fraud—a frightening possibility with vote counting controlled by a government known for imprisoning and torturing opponents. Testimonies from those who have been detained in “El Helicoide,” the notorious Chavista intelligence detention center, and millions of exiles across the continent suggest it is improbable that the Chavista regime would accept a defeat without resorting to any means to stay in power.
Maduro is attempting to reinvent himself to shed his despotic image. In a speech this past weekend, he suggested the possibility of an armed forces insurrection—forces he described as “deeply Chavista”—should the opposition win on July 28.
The “Great Takeover of Caracas” echoes initiatives by former President Hugo Chávez (1999-2013). Maduro has even referenced the events of February 27, 1989, known as “El Caracazo,” a social uprising Chávez used to justify his failed insurrection on February 4, 1992, which eventually led to his rise to the presidency in 1999.
María Corina Machado, who was disqualified by the pro-regime Comptroller’s Office from holding public office and who won the opposition primaries in October 2023, is now backing Edmundo González Urrutia, the candidate nominated by the country’s main opposition coalition.
CA/HB
