Legislative in Venezuela: in Caracas, low attendance at polling stations
Vote in legislative elections on Sunday, December 6 in Venezuela.
AFP - CRISTIAN HERNANDEZ
Text by: RFI Follow
5 mins
In Venezuela, the legislative elections are taking place this Sunday in a context of endless political and economic crisis.
While the ballot is boycotted by a large part of the opposition, the party of President Nicolas Maduro should recover the only institution that was not in its fold.
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With our special correspondent in Caracas
,
Marie Normand
After having passed a dozen polling stations and having traveled Caracas from east to west, at best twenty people were waiting their turn to vote outside the polling stations.
A coordinator of a polling station told us that there were a lot less people than usual and that this facilitated the social distancing measures put in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, 14,000 polling stations were opened in the country for this poll.
Much less than five years ago, which raises questions during a Covid-19 pandemic.
The National Guard is nevertheless very present to verify that the voters respect the health precautions.
The low attendance is particularly glaring in neighborhoods where the middle class resides, where the opposition has a broader base.
This could demonstrate that these voters followed the line of the mainstream opposition led by Juan Guaido who called for abstention.
Not many people in front of this office installed in a high school in Catia, a popular district of Caracas.
Many voters of the PSUV, but also some people who explain, off the microphone, that they will vote for the few opposition parties participating in the poll @RFI pic.twitter.com/jieBB3Duy5
- Marie Normand (@normandmarie) December 6, 2020
A vote against the background of a pandemic
Juan Guaido, claims that the ballot is not fair, nor fair.
Ten small opposition parties are presenting themselves so as not to leave the field open, they say, to the party of President Nicolas Maduro.
But for Juan Guaido, these formations are not representative of the opposition.
They are even accused of being allies in disguise of the Head of State.
Near a polling station, in a popular district of Caracas.
© RFI Marie Normand
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: Venezuela: the organization of the legislative elections marred by several irregularities
The presidential party, the PSUV, which presents the most candidates this Sunday, has big to gain, by recovering a National Assembly acquired in the opposition since 2015. Given the absence of the main opposition parties, it should s' ensure the majority of seats in this new chamber.
"
It's a party for me to vote
"
Nicolas Maduro's supporters are therefore confident.
Luis Fernando Machillando, a retiree met in the center of Caracas, considers this election as "
a celebration
".
A book seller, further on, underlines the importance of going to vote, despite the controversies: “
Because if I vote, I have the right to demand, to demand.
"
But this Sunday, what worries this trader is above all the content of CLAPs, government subsidized food packages, a flagship program of President Maduro.
“
Before, there were sardines, mayonnaise, none of that today,
” he regrets.
He thinks that if the presidential party gets the Assembly back, everything will change.
“
If the ruling party wins, there will be solutions.
There are many very active young people in this party.
"
The Venezuelans who go to the polls this Sunday are therefore voters of the PSUV.
They say they want to support their president in the face of an economic crisis that they attribute only to US sanctions.
They think that recovering this Assembly which was in the hands of the opposition will make it possible to pass the adequate laws to revive the economy.
And then other people, who are often a little afraid to speak at the microphone, also come to vote for the handful of opposition candidates who take part in the poll.
They too are hoping for change, and they believe that voting is the only way to achieve it.
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