Description: The turnout from Venezuela’s parliamentary and regional elections was close to 42.1% as the opposition leaders in exile called for civil reaction to President Nicolas Maduro oppressive regime of governance. The elections were a reprisal and a stark reminder of Maduro’s assimilatory rule of Venezuela, where more than two thousand opposition figures were arrested, and he was announced as the country’s next President. Edmundo Gonzalez, the winner of last year’s presidential election and the primary winner Maria Corina Machado took to social media to support the reaction from Venezuelan citizens in boycotting the regional elections. The elections also undertook the voting for governor in what Maduro plans to become Venezuela’s 24th state, Essequibo, which was part of recent armed confrontation between Venezuelan and Guyanese military forces. Maduro’s United Socialist Party won 73% of the existing votes further centralizing the government.
Impact: Venezuela’s regional and parliamentary elections only fortify Maduro’s rule and keep the country isolated by sanctions, unable to exploit the economic benefits from its massive oil reserves. Recent reignition of bilateral disputes with Guayana over the Essequibo region could further destabilize the country which is faced with brewing civil unrest and wide economic crisis. Maduro’s ambitions to annex Essequibo as Venezuela’s 24th state coupled with the enforced centralization of government could potentially cause growing concerns over military confrontation. Opposition figures such as presidential candidates Gonzalez and Machado have formed a domestic front emphasized by the low percentage of voting outcome, which could be the starting point for mounting a serious offensive against Maduro’s rule in the country. Recent bilateral escalation of tensions with Guayana, the growing pressure from the debilitating economy and the oppositional pressure could put Venezuela in a state of revolving turmoil in the mid to long – term.