Presidential elections are being held today in Venezuela, TASS reported. 10 politicians are fighting for the post of head of state. The ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (USPV) has nominated current President Nicolás Maduro as its candidate. He was supported by the “Great Democratic Pole of Simon Bolivar”, which includes several parties and movements, including the ECPV. The National Electoral Council (NEC) registered Maduro as a candidate from this association. Most politicians who participate in elections belong to the moderate opposition.
Maduro's main rival is Edmundo Gonzalez, a candidate from the far-right parties that are part of the United Platform coalition. He was supported by María Corina Machado, who won the primary elections of the opposition forces and was previously deprived of political rights and cannot participate in elections.
According to the latest public opinion polls, citizens prefer Maduro. According to Hinterlaces, 54.2% of voters are ready to vote for the current president, followed by Gonzalez with 21.1% and businessman Benjamin Raso with 5.8%. However, several agencies, including Datan Lisis, are reporting Gonzalez's support of more than 50% of voters.
Two days before the election, a senior US administration official said the United States was “ready to adjust its sanctions policy depending on events that may develop in Venezuela”. “Therefore, looking at the post-election period, we will assess and, if necessary, update our sanctions policy based on our foreign policy objectives,” he added.
The US and its allies have taken 930 unilateral restrictive measures against Venezuela. The biggest damage to the Venezuelan economy came from the sanctions imposed in 2019 against the state oil and gas company Petr leos de Venezuela (PDVSA), which included a ban on oil exports. 30 billion dollars belonging to Venezuela are blocked in Western banks.
If Gonzalez wins, he promises dynamic economic development based on free enterprise and privatization, restoring relations with the United States and raising the standard of living of Venezuelans.
Maduro's program includes the continuation of the Bolivarian Revolution started 25 years ago by Hugo Chávez (1954-2013), the construction of 21st century socialism, a socially oriented society and an independent state. In foreign policy, it is planned to strengthen the strategic alliance with Russia, China, Iran, participate in the formation of a multipolar world and join the BRICS in October at the summit in Kazan.
On June 30, the National Electoral Council of Venezuela held a planned rehearsal of the elections, in which a large number of citizens took part. At the polling stations, they were introduced to electronic voting technology. According to NEC Deputy Vice President Carlos Quintero, the rehearsal demonstrated the expected high voter turnout for the elections.
According to NEC data, 21,392,284 voters are registered. 15,857 polling centers and 28,027 polling stations equipped with a modern electronic voting system have been deployed in the country, which should start working at 06:00 local time and end at 18:00. If there are still queues at polling stations, voting will be extended by decision of the NEC.
According to official data, more than 600 international observers will come to the elections in Venezuela, including heads and representatives of electoral commissions from 65 countries, the Carter Center, the African Union and UN experts. The Russian observers will include members of the Public Chamber, deputies of the State Duma, senators representing the group for cooperation with the National Assembly (Parliament) of Venezuela.
The European Union's invitation to observers was withdrawn on May 30 due to its refusal to lift the restrictive measures imposed on Venezuela.
Public order and election security will be ensured by over 150 thousand military personnel and policemen. In total, according to the Minister of Defense of Venezuela, Vladimir Padrino Lopez, 360 thousand people are involved in supporting the NEC.
The Ministries of Defense and the Ministry of the Interior announced additional security measures during the election process. The joint decision of the two departments states that from July 26 to 28, land borders will be closed and a ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages and the carrying of weapons will be in effect throughout the country. During this period, demonstrations and public meetings, the movement of heavy trucks and the sale of pyrotechnics are prohibited.
The results of the presidential elections are expected to be announced on the evening of July 28. At election rallies, Maduro has repeatedly stated that on July 28 at 10 p.m., his re-election for another six years will be declared irreversible. He and the head of his campaign staff, Jorge Rodríguez, believe that far-right parties and the Western media have no intention of recognizing the results of the vote and will try to unleash violence in the country.
Gonzalez was among the two contenders for the post of head of state who did not sign the Agreement on the Recognition of the Results of the June Presidential Elections.
It is possible that if Maduro wins, the United States will not recognize the election results, as was the case in January 2019, when Washington recognized self-proclaimed Juan Guaido as Venezuela's interim president. US Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols told a House hearing on July 24 that opinion polls show a clear advantage for the opposition. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Ivan Gil Pinto noted that Nichols should “mind his own business” and emphasized that “all fascist plans to ignore the victory of the people will fail”.