Latest news with #JuanPabloGuanipa
Al Arabiya
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Venezuela's Maduro wins landslide in election boycotted by opposition
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's party on Sunday swept the board in parliamentary and regional elections that were boycotted by the opposition in protest over his disputed re-election last year. The United Socialist Party of Venezuela won 23 out of 24 state governor positions and scored 82.68 percent of the votes cast for lists of National Assembly members, the electoral council (CNE) said. The constituency-level results of the parliamentary vote had yet to be tallied. The main opposition group, led by popular figurehead Maria Corina Machado, had urged voters to stay away to avoid legitimizing what she described as a 'farce' election. AFP journalists who visited polling stations in several cities said turnout was much lower compared to the July 2024 presidential election. The CNE put voter turnout at a little over 42 percent of Venezuela's 21 million eligible voters. The run-up to the vote was marked by mass arrests and a new crackdown on dissent. Over 70 people were arrested on suspicion of planning to 'sabotage' the election. Among those arrested was leading opposition member Juan Pablo Guanipa, held on charges of heading the 'terrorist network' behind the alleged plot. Venezuela's authoritarian leftist government frequently alleges foreign-backed, opposition-led initiatives to topple Maduro, who took over on the death of his mentor, socialist firebrand Hugo Chavez in 2013. On Sunday, Maduro hailed the election results as a 'victory of peace and stability' and said it 'proved the power of Chavismo' -- the left-wing, populist political movement founded by his predecessor. 'Farce' The vote was for 285 members of the National Assembly and 24 governors -- including for the first time in Essequibo, an oil-rich region controlled by neighboring Guyana but claimed by Caracas. But many Venezuelans said they lost faith in the electoral process after last July's presidential vote. Electoral authorities quickly declared Maduro the winner of a third six-year term in that election, without releasing detailed results. The opposition published its own tally from individual polling stations, showing a convincing win for its candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia. The crackdown on post-election protests left 28 dead, hundreds behind bars, and cemented Venezuela's pariah status on the world stage. On Sunday before the results were announced, Maduro shrugged off the opposition boycott. 'When the opponent withdraws from the field, we advance and occupy the terrain,' he said matter-of-factly. Machado published several pictures of deserted polling stations on social media. She said the opposition had shown the election up as a 'grand farce' and called on the armed forces to 'act' against Maduro -- her latest call for them to mutiny. The military has ignored previous such entreaties from Machado. Writing on X, Gonzalez Urrutia, who went into exile in Spain late last year, said the boycott was a 'silent but resounding declaration that the desire for change, dignity and a future remains intact.' 'I'm not going to vote because I voted (in the presidential election) and they stole the elections. So it's really a farce,' said Candelaria Rojas Sierra, a 78-year-old retired civil servant in San Cristobal, on her way to mass to 'pray for Venezuela.' Samadhi Romero, a 32-year-old university student, however defended the election as an 'important process of civic participation.' She voted for Maduro's son, 35-year-old MP Nicolas Maduro Guerra, who was seeking re-election in Caracas. A small opposition faction led by two-time former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles refused to be part of the boycott, arguing that previous voter stayaways had merely allowed Maduro to expand his grip on power. Capriles won a parliament seat in Sunday's vote. Vote in disputed region The election comes as the country's economy -- once the envy of Latin America, now in tatters after years of mismanagement and sanctions -- faces even further turmoil. US President Donald Trump has revoked permission for oil giant Chevron to continue pumping Venezuelan crude, potentially depriving Maduro's administration of its last lifeline. Washington has also revoked deportation protection from 350,000 Venezuelan migrants in the United States and expelled hundreds of others to a maximum security prison in El Salvador. Venezuela's elections for the National Assembly and for state governor of Essequibo sent alarm bells clanging internationally. Guyana has administered the region for decades but Caracas has threatened to partially annex it -- a threat that Maduro repeated on Sunday.
Qatar Tribune
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
Venezuelan parliamentary election under way amid opposition boycott
Buenos AIREScColor:> Parliamentary elections were under way in Venezuela on Sunday amid a boycott by opposition parties following a wave of arrests. According to figures from the Interior Ministry, security forces recently arrested more than 70 people, including prominent opposition politician Juan Pablo Guanipa. The authoritarian government in Caracas accuses them of planning terrorist attacks on embassies, hospitals, police stations and substations in order to disrupt the elections. Venezuelans are electing 285 members of parliament, 24 governors and numerous mayors, city councillors and local representatives. For the first time, officials for the disputed border region of Essequibo were also to be elected. Venezuela claims the area, which belongs to neighbouring Guyana. (DPA)
News.com.au
25-05-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Maduro party eyes big win as Venezuela opposition boycotts vote
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's party was eyeing a landslide victory in legislative and regional elections Sunday, after a wave of arrests of opposition members who called for a massive boycott of the vote. The main opposition group, led by popular figurehead Maria Corina Machado, had urged voters to stay away in protest at Maduro's disputed reelection last year. Among the dozens arrested ahead of Sunday's vote was leading opposition member Juan Pablo Guanipa, who was being held on charges of heading a "terrorist network" planning to "sabotage" the elections. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello linked Guanipa, a former lawmaker, to a group of 50 people arrested earlier in the week on suspicion of being mercenaries in the pay of foreign powers. Venezuela, which frequently alleges foreign-backed coup plots, said the suspects entered the country from Colombia and closed the busy border with its neighbor until after the election. Tensions were high on Sunday, with more than 400,000 security agents deployed to monitor the vote. Some 21 million voters were eligible to cast ballots for 285 members of the National Assembly and 24 governors -- including for the first time in Essequibo, an oil-rich region controlled by neighboring Guyana but claimed by Caracas. Turnout was however projected to be just 16 percent, according to pollster Delphos, after the main opposition urged Venezuelans not to legitimize what they see as yet another sham election. - 'Farce' - Many in Venezuela lost any remaining faith they had in the electoral process after last July's presidential vote. Electoral authorities quickly declared Maduro the winner without releasing detailed results. The opposition however published its own tally from individual polling stations, showing a convincing win for candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who has since gone into exile abroad. The crackdown on post-election protests left 28 dead, hundreds arrested, and cemented Venezuela's pariah status on the world stage. Opposition leader Machado had slammed this weekend's vote as an "enormous farce that the regime is trying to stage to bury its defeat." On Sunday, she published several pictures of deserted polling places on social media. Polls opened at 6:00 am (1000 GMT), but by midday AFP journalists at polling stations in Caracas, San Cristobal and Barinas reported that just a handful of voters had turned out. "It's an important process of citizen participation," said Samadi Romero, a 32-year-old university student who voted for Maduro's son for the National Assembly. "I'm not going to vote because I voted (in the presidential election) and they stole the elections. So it's really a farce," said Candelaria Rojas Sierra, a 78-year-old retired civil servant in San Cristobal, on her way to mass to "pray for Venezuela." - 'Fight the dictatorship' - Polls officially close at 6:00 pm (2200 GMT). A small opposition faction led by two-time former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles had rejected the boycott call, arguing that previous voter stayaways had merely allowed Maduro to expand his grip on power. "We must vote as an act of resistance, of struggle," said Capriles, who is running for the National Assembly. A message on Guanipa's X account shortly after his arrest declared he had been "kidnapped by the forces of Nicolas Maduro's regime" but would continue the "long fight against the dictatorship." - US blow to oil revenues - Only a handful of countries, including longtime allies Russia and Cuba, have recognized Maduro as the country's rightful leader. Sunday's election comes as the country's economy -- once the envy of Latin America, now in tatters after years of mismanagement and sanctions -- faces even further turmoil. US President Donald Trump has revoked permission for oil giant Chevron to continue pumping Venezuelan crude, potentially depriving Maduro's administration of its last lifeline. Washington has also revoked deportation protection from 350,000 Venezuelan migrants in the United States and expelled hundreds of others to a maximum security prison in El Salvador. Particularly closely watched will be the elections for the National Assembly and for state governor of Essequibo. Guyana has administered the region for decades but Caracas has threatened to partially annex it.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opposition vows boycott as Venezuela holds divisive new vote
Can Venezuelans be persuaded to return to the polls on Sunday, 10 months after President Nicolas Maduro claimed a third term in elections marred by violence and allegations of fraud? The issue of voter participation is the big unknown as the sanctions-hit Caribbean country returns to the polls to elect a new parliament and 24 state governors. The main opposition led by Maria Corina Machado, an engineer and former MP, has urged Venezuelans not to legitimize what they see as yet another sham election by voting. A small opposition faction led by two-time former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles rejected the boycott call, arguing that previous voter stayaways had merely allowed 62-year-old Maduro to expand his grip on power. "We must vote as an act of resistance, of struggle," said Capriles, who is running for parliament. - 'Fight the dictatorship' - Tensions were high in the run-up to the election. More than 400,000 security agents were deployed to monitor the vote. On Friday, a leading opposition member and close ally of Machado, Juan Pablo Guanipa, was arrested on charges of heading a "terrorist network" planning to attack Sunday's vote. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello linked Guanipa, a former MP, to a group of 50 people arrested earlier in the week on suspicion of being mercenaries in the pay of foreign powers. Venezuela, which frequently alleges foreign-backed coup plots, said the suspects entered the country from Colombia and closed the busy border with its neighbor until after the election. Guanipa is just the latest opposition leader to be targeted by the authorities. Opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia went into exile in Spain last year after a bounty was put on his head. A message on Guanipa's X account, shortly after his arrest, declared he had been "kidnapped by the forces of Nicolas Maduro's regime" but would continue the "long fight against the dictatorship." - US blow to oil revenues - Many opposition supporters in Venezuela lost any remaining faith they had in the electoral process after the July presidential election. Maduro claimed to have won a third term, without producing detailed results to back his claim. The opposition published its own tally of results from polling stations, which appeared to showed a convincing win for Gonzalez Urrutia. A deadly crackdown on protests that erupted over Maduro's victory claim cemented Venezuela's pariah status on the world stage. Only a handful of countries, including longtime allies Russia and Cuba, have recognized Maduro as the country's rightful leader. Sunday's election comes as the country's economy -- once the envy of Latin America, now in tatters after years of mismanagement and sanctions -- faces even further turmoil. US President Donald Trump has revoked permission for oil giant Chevron to continue pumping Venezuelan crude, potentially depriving Maduro's administration of its last lifeline. Washington has also revoked deportation protection from 350,000 Venezuelan migrants in the United States and expelled hundreds of others to a brutal prison for gangsters in El Salvador. The pressure has failed to sway Maduro, who continues to defy the world and spar with his neighbors. On Sunday, Venezuela will for the first time hold elections for parliament and state governor in the disputed oil-rich region of Essequibo, on its border with Guyana. Guyana has administered the region for decades but Caracas has threatened to partially annex it. bur-cb/acb/cms
Arab News
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Opposition vows boycott as Venezuela holds new divisive vote
CARACAS: Can Venezuelans be persuaded to return to the polls on Sunday, ten months after President Nicolas Maduro claimed a third term in elections marred by violence and allegations of fraud? The issue of voter participation is the big unknown as the sanctions-hit Caribbean country returns to the polls to elect a new parliament and 24 state governors. The main opposition led by Maria Corina Machado, an engineer and former MP, has urged Venezuelans not to legitimize what they see as yet another sham election by voting. A small opposition faction led by two-time former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles rejected the boycott call, arguing that previous voter stayaways had merely allowed 62-year-old Maduro to expand his grip on power. 'We must vote as an act of resistance, of struggle,' Capriles, who is running for parliament, said. Tensions were high in the run-up to the election. More than 400,000 security agents were deployed to monitor the vote. On Friday, a leading opposition member and close ally of Machado, Juan Pablo Guanipa, was arrested on charges of heading a 'terrorist network' planning to attack Sunday's vote. Cabello linked Guanipa, a former MP, to a group of 50 people arrested earlier in the week on suspicion of being mercenaries in the pay of foreign powers. Venezuela, which frequently alleges foreign-backed coup plots, said the suspects entered the country from Colombia and closed the busy border with its neighbor until after the election. Guanipa is just the latest opposition leader to be targeted by the authorities. Opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia went into exile in Spain last year after a bounty was put on his head. A message on Guanipa's X account, shortly after his arrest, declared he had been 'kidnapped by the forces of Nicolas Maduro's regime' but would continue the 'long fight against the dictatorship.' Many opposition supporters in Venezuela lost any remaining faith they had in the electoral process after the July presidential election. Maduro claimed to have won a third term, without producing detailed results to back his claim. The opposition published its own tally of results from polling stations, which appeared to showed a convincing win for Gonzalez Urrutia. A deadly crackdown on protests that erupted over Maduro's victory claim cemented Venezuela's pariah status on the world stage. Only a handful of countries, including longtime allies Russia and Cuba, have recognized Maduro as the country's rightful leader. Sunday's election comes as the country's economy — once the envy of Latin America, now in tatters after years of mismanagement and sanctions — faces even further turmoil. US President Donald Trump has revoked permission for oil giant Chevron to continue pumping Venezuelan crude, potentially depriving Maduro's administration of its last lifeline. Washington has also revoked deportation protection from 350,000 Venezuelan migrants in the United States and expelled hundreds of others to a brutal prison for gangsters in El Salvador. The pressure has failed to sway Maduro, who continues to defy the world and spar with his neighbors. On Sunday, Venezuela will for the first time hold elections for parliament and state governor in the disputed oil-rich region of Essequibo, on its border with Guyana. Guyana has administered the region for decades but Caracas has threatened to partially annex it.
