Venezuela Opposition Holds Primary Election To Decide Who Will Challenge Nicolas Maduro

With the Venezuela national elections happening next year, the Venezuelan opposition, fractured by many different parties, are now coming together to decide on a candidate who will challenge President Nicolas Maduro.

According to the Associated Press, this was the first time that the Venezuelan opposition held its presidential primary since 2012, and this is expected to bring the deeply fractured opposition to work together and elect a new leader. However, as Venezuelans cast their ballots, it started to rain, though it did not dampen the opposition voters' hopes and they showed up en masse.

This new primary election comes after the Maduro administration, infamous for subverting opponents and retaliating against the opposition, agreed in principle to let the opposition choose its candidate for the 2024 presidential election.

As election day came, hundreds of people showed up at voting centers and would not let the rains stop them from exercising their right to choose their own leaders. A rainstorm left many voters soaking wet but they still stood in line to vote. Many were seen carrying umbrellas, folding stools, and even coffee to ease the long waits. However, some did lean against buildings to avoid getting wet.

"I don't know about you, but I feel like this is a miracle," said opposition frontrunner Maria Corina Machado, who was already barred from running for office.

She told the Associated Press, "This is an act of defiance of a system. ... We are overcoming all the obstacles."

With the rain, the opposition primary election also faced several internal and external logistical problems. These have left many voters confused, with the most common being where they should vote as this election itself is quite different.

Venezuela Election Locations Had To Be Moved, Causing Even More Confusion

Reuters reported that there were around 3,000 polling locations all over Venezuela. However, some opened late while others had to be moved. This led many voters and several human rights groups within the country to say this has caused much confusion.

While voting is typically done in public schools in Venezuela, the independent commission held the vote in many other locations, including homes, churches, private schools, and other facilities as Venezuelan election authorities were not able to respond to the opposition's requests for help in a timely manner.

To add to all that confusion, many voting centers had differing closing times. While many closed at 4:00 PM local time, others remained open until the last person waiting in line was able to vote.

Venezuela Opposition Primary Allowed Venezuelans Abroad To Cast Their Votes

The political and economic crisis in Venezuela has led many to leave the country, with others not even having their own passports to show that they are Venezuelan. However, as the opposition held its primary, organizers have tried to widen out-of-country voting by allowing Venezuelans to update their information and cast a ballot if they are still listed on voter rolls.

"We want to highlight that there are millions of Venezuelans abroad that are being denied their fundamental right to vote," Ismael Perez of the National Primary Commission (CP) told Al Jazeera News. This comes as over 7.7 million Venezuelans have already fled the country over the last few years, fueling the migrant crisis we have today.

Around 80 polling places have now been set up not just in the US, but also other Latin American countries and Europe, in order for Venezuelans abroad to be able to cast their ballots.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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