Maduro made the announcement after casting his own vote in
the local elections on Sunday, in a move set to further consolidate his
grip on power.
Maduro’s ban includes the groups of key figures who have
led street protests against his rule such as Henrique Capriles, Leopoldo
Lopez and others.
Maduro announced Sunday that leading opposition parties
would be barred from taking part in next year’s presidential vote after
they boycotted mayoral polls,
‘That’s what the National Constituent Assembly set out,’
he said, referring to a controversial Maduro-allied special powers
legislature whose legitimacy has been questioned by many in the
international community.
‘If they don’t want elections, what are they doing? What’s the alternative? (Civil) war?’ the president asked, visibly angry.
While municipal elections were under way across the
country, Maduro clearly had his mind on the 2018 presidential race, in
which he plans to seek reelection despite an approval rating of around
30 percent.
Crisis-weary voters meanwhile appeared to be staying away
in droves from mayoral elections that the opposition is already
boycotting.
Maduro said his party won more than 300 of Venezuela’s 355
mayoral races. And the president insisted that 9.3 million people
voted, which he called a record for a municipal vote.
In terms of politics, the local election stakes might seem low.
Yet a failure in municipal votes could be seen by many a
sign the government had lost the support of the massive lower-income
base it relies on to stay in power and in charge of the state-led
economy.
Luis Emilio Rondon, a member of the electoral board, said
that there were some irregularities involving pro-government candidates
who are running some polling stations. He did not immediately say where,
or address the extent of the issue.
But voting ‘cannot be restricted, obligatory, or supervised by people with political interests’ therein, Rondon told reporters.
He also said he had received reports that in some polling
stations run by the ruling PSUV, officials were making sure that those
who have a special social benefits card get out to cast their votes.
He said some of these voters’ ‘Fatherland Card,’ an
electronic card that helps them get scarce food and medicine, were being
scanned.
‘There has been some confusion on voters’ part about
whether they have to go to the polls with their regular ID card and the
Fatherland Card. This is not needed to vote. You only need your regular
national ID,’ he stressed.
These are the last elections before presidential voting
scheduled for late next year, in which Maduro says he will seek another
term. Some analysts think they will be moved up to the early months of
2018.
The lack of a serious challenge Sunday to Maduro-aligned
candidates led to skepticism in the main cities of Caracas, Maracaibo
and San Cristobal.
Maduro’s ruling socialist party was aided by the refusal
of the three main parties in the opposition coalition Democratic Union
Roundtable (MUD) to participate, though smaller parties decided to
contest the election.
Victor Torres, a chauffeur in Maracaibo, said the election
will do nothing to resolve what he considers to be the country’s
biggest woe: hyperinflation, estimated at 2,000 percent this year.
‘The other day I went to buy a banana. In the morning it
cost 1,900 bolivares and in the afternoon, 3,000. You can’t live this
way. I am disappointed with politicians,’ said Torres.
Yon Goicoechea was contesting the election against the
wishes of his party because he says the opposition must ‘defend’ its
political space.
Goicoechea, who is running for mayor in a Caracas
municipality, said the government ‘will try to steal the vote, but we
will not give it away.’
The balloting station where the president himself votes,
in a poor area of Caracas called Catia, also looked deserted, an AFP
reporter there said.
‘Not voting is a mistake. Instead of moving forward, we
are going backwards the way crabs do,’ said Carmen Leon, 78, after
casting her ballot in Chacao, which has been home to many opposition
leaders. (Mailonline)
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