Camino de Maracaibo: Una espiraci’on aproximimo del paisaje de Maduro en 2022
Democracy is being seriously challenged in the Western Hemisphere. Over the last 20 years, Venezuela, Nicaragua and El Salvador have all fallen into dictatorships. In late 2022, Peru’s president sought to dissolve its legislature, although he landed in jail. Guatemala had a close call last year, with the attorney general’s office attempting to prevent a peaceful transition of power. And it remains to be seen whether Mexico’s recently elected President Claudia Sheinbaum will continue the erosion of democratic checks and balances that her predecessor began.
This election has posed one of Maduro’s greatest challenges. The main political opposition leader, María Corina Machado, had won primaries in January, but the authorities did not recognize the vote and the Maduro-supported Supreme Court barred her from running for president. Months later, after failed attempts at other replacements, the opposition eventually named a little-known diplomat as its candidate: Edmundo González.
Machado still toured the country — by car, as she has also been barred from air travel — bringing out large crowds in even the smallest towns to garner excitement around González’s campaign, with the candidate himself often appearing too.
NPR traveled with Machado to Barquisimeto, a city in northwestern Venezuela, en route to a rally in the country’s second-largest city of Maracaibo just days before the campaign closing. Her team went to fill up their cars in a neighborhood, and then they went to rescue a truck that had been vandalized by pro-government supporters. Everyone knew that she was coming, so residents gathered to greet her. Two sisters asked her to sign their Venezuelan flag. The teenagers, who asked not to be named in this story, said they got threats because of their support for the opposition.
During the campaign, migration was at the forefront because of the exodus of many Venezuelans. Some politicians support U.S. sanctions against Venezuela in order to force people to leave the country, according to Maduro.
On the other side, Machado has coined the slogan “Volver a Casa,” which means “return home,” referencing a collective desire in the growing diaspora. The young man wore a shirt with the slogan on it to a local opposition rally. She explained that she has lived with her brother since she was 14. Our parents had to leave for South America to take care of us.
And while Machado has brought a renewed energy to the political landscape, there is a common sentiment that if change doesn’t happen now, people will leave.
Local community organizers went door to door to help people understand the ballot — on which Maduro appeared 13 times, for each party that had endorsed his candidacy. The opposition and the President held their campaign events in Venezuela on Thursday. There were stages set up in central parts of the city for the 12 hour event. Local artists performed on the stages, with percussionists like Tambor Changó, from the city of Barinas, setting up dancing circles in the arts district, and emcees playing songs from the late President Chávez’s previous campaigns. The event at Bolvar Avenue filled up with people. Attendees from all over the country were brought in as buses lined the side streets.
The woman, Maryelis Bolvar de Flores, was proud when she told NPR that she loved her president. The president cares about the poor and hard working people.
Propaganda of the national anthem: a protest in Catia, Venezuela, on Sunday, Election Day, when the protests broke down
At both rallies, the crowds joined their candidates in singing the national anthem — a sight that signaled that, on Election Day, people would vote for their country.
Voting centers had malfunctioning machines. At others, colectivos — armed, pro-government groups — were present and provocative. People stood up and voted. Group of citizens went to exercise their right to be present during the counting of votes after the centers closed. Police forces were prepared for conflict, equipped with riot shields. They kept the citizens out of the voting center by using their shields. The people didn’t leave, and the vote was counted.
After casting her vote in the Catia neighborhood of Venezuela, a 60-year old recovering from surgery told NPR, “This is our last chance to get out of this mess.”
Addressing a huge outdoor rally in Caracas, opposition leader María Corina Machado said her movement had obtained 84% of the voter tally sheets from Sunday’s balloting which showed that retired diplomat Edmundo González, had won in a landslide. González, she said, had received more than 7 million votes compared to 3.2 million for Maduro.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the votes must be “counted fairly and transparently” and that “the international community is watching this very closely and will respond accordingly.”
With the results in dispute, what lies ahead is uncertain. People taking to the street are aware of the past of protests being crushed by repressive government forces.
An Address to Maduro on Venezuela’s “Circumstantial moment for democracy in the hemisphere,” tweeted Amorim
Lexi Parra is a documentary photographer based in both New York City and Venezuela. You can see more of her work on LexiParra.com or on Instagram, at @lexigraceparra.
In the lead-up to Sunday’s election day, anticipation was high all over the country. Venezuelans lined up outside voting centers as early as 10 p.m. the night before. There was a hope and drive that brought a lot of people out to the polls.
As a result, allegations of fraud are multiplying and Venezuelans as well as foreign governments are calling on Maduro to release the official tally sheets from the more than 30,000 voting machines. Celso Amorim, an envoy for the leftwing government of Brazil, met with Maduro Monday and said the strongman had promised to release official data on the election.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva spoke with President Joe Biden on Tuesday. Both agreed that the Venezuelan electoral authorities needed to release the polling data. The outcome of the Venezuela election is a “critical moment for democracy in the hemisphere” according to the White House statement.
In the meantime, the Organization of American States issued a scathing report saying Maduro’s claims of victory “deserve neither to be trusted nor to be democratically recognized.”
In her speech, she said the soldiers saw the country’s triumph over tyranny.
The Defense Minister said that it was time for the people of Venezuela to support their government. He said, in an olive-green uniform and field cap, “We confirm our absolute loyalty and support for Nicols Maduro, our rightful commander in chief.”
Padrino Lpez warned of a stern action against the protesters who were allied with foreign enemies of Venezuela.
Maduro himself made similar threats on Tuesday. “I hold you, González, responsible for everything that is happening in Venezuela: the criminal violence, the delinquents, the injuries, the deaths and the destruction. You are directly responsible as are you Machado, and there has to be justice. Because these things, this attack on the people, must not happen again in Venezuela.”
People went on the streets, tearing down billboards with a man in them and destroying statues of his mentor the late Hugo Chavez who founded Venezuela’s socialist revolution 25 years ago.
Six people were killed in clashes with security forces who arrested 132 protesters, said Alfredo Romero, president of the Caracas human rights group Foro Penal. Among the detainees was Freddy Superlano, a former state governor and opposition leader.
A Comment on Maduro’s “Fundamental Challenges for the United States and the Dialogue of Global Discontent”, by Berg
Ryan C. Berg, director of the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said Maduro is trying to run out the clock. He said the president will try to be factual as he waits for protests and international outrage to die down.