Venezuela Votes again on “Chavismo”
HAVANA TIMES — Venezuelans go to the polls on Sunday to vote for mayors and city council members throughout the country. The vote is the first since Nicolas Maduro won a surprisingly close victory over Henrique Capriles for the presidency back in August of this year in a special election to replace the deceased Hugo Chavez.
The governing United Socialist Party of Venezuela closed its campaign on Thursday in the capital, Caracas. Its candidate for mayor of greater Caracas, Ernesto Villegas, asked public employees of that institution (currently in the hands of the opposition) not to buy stories about alleged plans for layoffs if the current mayor, Antonio Ledezma, is voted out.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Capriles promised to turn this election into a referendum on the administration of President of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, who he criticized for the high levels of insecurity and shortages facing the country.
A total of 337 mayors and over 2,500 city councilors are to be elected.
Venezuela is Cuba’s closest political ally and largest trade partner. Therefore events in the South American country are always closely watched on the island.
Looks like the Venezuelans say “Benvenidos Hermanos !” much to your chagrin. I suppose the elections were rigged.
Chavismo? Sorry, Chavez is dead. Madurismo is a poor substitute. To be honest, were talking about Raulismo, aren’t we?
“The Cuban penetration of the land of Bolivar has been very intense and coordinated. There is not a single strategic area of the country that is not dominated by the Cuban apparatus. Above all at the military level where they have total control of everything Venezuela’s military commanders do and do not do with the intention of preventing any type of revolt.” – Panamanian ambassador to the OAS, Guillermo Cochez
That is what the election is really about. Should Venezuela submit to Cuban hegemony or not?