Venezuela opposition seeks election victory over Maduro

Venezuela opposition seeks election victory over Maduro

Venezuela’s political crisis shifted from barricades to ballots on Sunday with nationwide gubernatorial elections likely to hand the demoralised opposition a major victory against President Nicolas Maduro’s government.

The ruling Socialist Party controls 20 of 23 state governorships, but polls showed the opposition Democratic Unity coalition likely to upend that, given voter anger at hunger and shortages stemming from an economic meltdown.

“I used to have enough food in my house to feed my children tomorrow, but now no longer. Hunger motivates us to vote,” said Zulay Acosta, voting early in southern Puerto Ordaz city.

The government, however, made liberal use of state resources in its candidates’ campaigns, evoked popular former leader Hugo Chavez at every rally, and appealed to Venezuelans’ exhaustion with political turmoil to vote against “candidates of violence.”

“I vote because I want peace, not terrorism,” customs official Franquelsi Anciana said in the western city of Maracaibo.

The pro-government election board also put up hurdles for the opposition that could have an impact on final results.

Those included the relocation of 200 voting centers on security grounds – mostly away from pro-opposition areas – and a refusal to update the ballot to remove names of opposition politicians who lost in primaries, likely confusing voters.