{"id":52121,"date":"2024-05-16T16:12:32","date_gmt":"2024-05-16T16:12:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2024\/05\/16\/venezuelas-2024-presidential-vote-what-to-know\/"},"modified":"2024-05-16T16:12:33","modified_gmt":"2024-05-16T16:12:33","slug":"venezuelas-2024-presidential-vote-what-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2024\/05\/16\/venezuelas-2024-presidential-vote-what-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Venezuela\u2019s 2024 Presidential Vote: What to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"text-align:center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1050\" height=\"550\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2024\/05\/16\/multimedia\/16venezuela-election-explainer-vgkc\/16venezuela-election-explainer-vgkc-facebookJumbo.jpg?resize=1050,550&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"Venezuela\u2019s 2024 Presidential Vote: What to Know\" title=\"Venezuela\u2019s 2024 Presidential Vote: What to Know\" \/><\/div><p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<h2 class=\"css-9ycfei eoo0vm40\" id=\"link-5d565dd0\">Why is this election important?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The outcome of Venezuela\u2019s presidential election, which will take place on July 28, will be consequential for the future of the country\u2019s democracy, as well as for the <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2022\/10\/07\/world\/americas\/venezuelan-migrants-us-border.html\" title=\"\">more than seven million<\/a> Venezuelans who have abandoned the country and have contributed to a migrant surge in the United States.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">For the past 25 years Venezuela\u2019s government has been controlled by Chavismo, the socialist movement that began with the democratic election of Hugo Ch\u00e1vez in 1998 and has since grown more authoritarian. When Mr. Ch\u00e1vez died in 2013 his prot\u00e9g\u00e9 Nicol\u00e1s Maduro narrowly won the presidency.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Venezuela\u2019s <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2019\/05\/17\/world\/americas\/venezuela-economy.html\" title=\"\">economy imploded nearly a decade ago<\/a>, prompting one of the world\u2019s largest displacements in Latin American history. The flow of Venezuelans and other migrants to the United States has become a dominant theme in the U.S. presidential campaign.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">This is the first Venezuelan election in more than a decade in which an opposition candidate has a reasonable \u2014 if slim and improbable \u2014 chance at winning.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">At stake is also the future of Venezuela\u2019s oil reserves, the world\u2019s largest; the continued strength of the country\u2019s alliances with China, Russia and Iran; and the trajectory of an internal <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2019\/05\/17\/world\/americas\/venezuela-economy.html\" title=\"\">humanitarian crisis<\/a> that has propelled a once prosperous nation into immense suffering.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<h2 class=\"css-9ycfei eoo0vm40\" id=\"link-1ef70acb\">Will the election be free and fair?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">It\u2019s already clear that the election won\u2019t be entirely free and fair.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Mr. Maduro, 61, controls the legislature, the military, the police, the justice system, the national election council, the country\u2019s budget and much of the media, not to mention violent paramilitary gangs <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/04\/22\/world\/americas\/armed-civilian-bands-in-venezuela-prop-up-unpopular-president.html\" title=\"\">called colectivos<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The Maduro government has detained and jailed 10 opposition members since January. Five others have warrants out for their arrest and are hiding out in the Argentine Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela\u2019s capital.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">A proposal in the legislature would allow the government to suspend the opposition\u2019s campaign at any moment. Many Venezuelans living abroad <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/venezuela-presidential-election-maduro-opposition-machado-migrants-5001f67210a52d20426e4a4937f1c9f0\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">have been unable<\/a> to register to vote because of expensive and cumbersome requirements.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">And even if a majority of voters cast their ballots against Mr. Maduro, there is widespread doubt that he would allow the results to become public \u2014 or accept them if they do.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">If Mr. Maduro does give up power, it would almost certainly be the result of an exit deal negotiated with the opposition in which he would likely seek to be shielded from prosecution in an international court over charges of <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2020\/09\/16\/world\/americas\/venezuela-un-killings-torture.html\" title=\"\">crimes against humanity<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<h2 class=\"css-9ycfei eoo0vm40\" id=\"link-1d419890\">Does Maduro face any serious challengers?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Despite all the obstacles the government has put up to prevent credible elections, it did allow a former diplomat, Edmundo Gonz\u00e1lez, to register as the candidate representing a coalition of opposition parties. Mr. Gonz\u00e1lez became the surprise consensus candidate of the opposition after its popular leader, Mar\u00eda Corina Machado, was <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/01\/26\/world\/americas\/venezuela-presidential-election-opposition.html\" title=\"\">barred by Mr. Maduro\u2019s government<\/a> from running.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">In a joint interview, Mr. Gonz\u00e1lez said he was \u201ctaken by surprise\u201d when Mr. Maduro allowed him to register as a candidate, and still had no clear explanation why.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">While Mr. Gonz\u00e1lez, 74, was unknown to most Venezuelans until recently, Ms. Machado\u2019s support of his candidacy makes him a viable challenger. Ms. Machado, 56, an enormously popular former legislator, has been rallying voters on his behalf at events across the country, where she is received like a rock star, <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MariaCorinaYA\/status\/1788366250621477064\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">filling city blocks<\/a> with people <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/VenteVenezuela\/status\/1788607072822583465\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">making emotional pleas<\/a> for her to save the country.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">There are other candidates on the ballot, but they are not seen as serious contenders.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"css-9ycfei eoo0vm40\" id=\"link-60ea1bab\">What are the main issues?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Top of mind for most Venezuelans is simply having a legitimate chance to vote the current Chavista government out of power.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Polls show roughly two thirds of the country oppose Chavismo and are likely to support any candidate that could challenge Mr. Maduro, who they blame for the country\u2019s economic collapse.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The Venezuelan economy went into free fall about a decade ago amid mismanagement of the oil sector, a crisis exacerbated by strict sanctions imposed by the United States in 2019. Soaring inflation has eroded salaries and savings.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">For years, Venezuelans have been scraping by, trying to feed their children on meager earnings, watching <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/2017\/12\/17\/world\/americas\/venezuela-children-starving.html\" title=\"\">family members die<\/a> of preventable diseases and waiting for hours in line for gasoline.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The country has seen crowds of adults combing through dumpsters looking for discarded food, <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2015\/01\/30\/world\/americas\/strict-rationing-in-venezuela-as-plunging-oil-prices-hurt-economy.html\" title=\"\">long lines<\/a> for basic provisions, soldiers posted outside bakeries and <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/video\/world\/americas\/100000004485562\/venezuela-gripped-by-hunger-and-riots.html\" title=\"\">angry crowds ransacking<\/a> grocery stores. Emergency rooms have been overwhelmed by children with severe malnutrition and babies suffering from dehydration because of infant formula shortages.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The Maduro government and its base, roughly one third of the country, according to surveys, blames the country\u2019s woes on foreign adversaries, particularly the United States, which they say is waging an economic war against Venezuela.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The reunification of families separated by migration has also emerged as a major issue given the enormous numbers of Venezuelans who have left.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"css-9ycfei eoo0vm40\" id=\"link-5021cd28\">When will the results be known?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The country\u2019s electoral authority has not announced the details for this year\u2019s vote, but polls in Venezuela typically open at 6 a.m. and close at 6 p.m., and results are known by around 2 a.m. the following day.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"css-9ycfei eoo0vm40\" id=\"link-37730315\">Where can I find out more information?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/05\/11\/world\/americas\/venezuela-elections.html\" title=\"\">Can Elections Force Venezuelan\u2019s Authoritarian Leader from Power?<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\"><a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/05\/06\/world\/americas\/edmundo-gonzalez-venezuela-elections.html\" title=\"\">Meet the Candidate Challenging Venezuelan\u2019s Authoritarian Leader<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/05\/16\/world\/americas\/venezuela-president-election.html\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why is this election important? The outcome of Venezuela\u2019s presidential election, which will take place on July 28, will be consequential for the future of the country\u2019s democracy, as well as for the more than seven million Venezuelans who have abandoned the country and have contributed to a migrant surge in the United States. For [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":52122,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2024\/05\/16\/multimedia\/16venezuela-election-explainer-vgkc\/16venezuela-election-explainer-vgkc-facebookJumbo.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[212,15506,901],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52121"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52121"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52121\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":52123,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52121\/revisions\/52123"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/52122"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52121"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52121"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52121"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}