Venezuelan political commentator Nicmer Evans analyses the first month of Nicolas Maduro’s presidency, arguing that despite the opposition challenge to his legitimacy Maduro is setting the country’s political agenda.
One prominent Venezuelan intellectual and activist’s perspective on the current political situation and tasks ahead, Denis argues that there is a larger opening now for the opposition to take power, and that the grassroots are talking of regrouping, and are at a “critical crossroads”.
Speaking moments before last Tuesday’s brawl in Venezuela’s National Assembly, opposition legislator Maria Corina Machados’s own deputy representative, Ricardo Sánchez, warned of the right-wing’s ‘hidden agenda’.
Despite the lack of evidence of fraud, or any plausible explanation for how the election could have been stolen in spite of the integrity of the Venezuelan electoral system, press reports and commentary continue to treat Capriles’ claims seriously.
I just returned from Venezuela where I was one of 170 international election observers from around the world, including India, Brazil, Great Britain, Argentina, South Korea and France.
We condemn the opposition-initiated violence against innocent supporters of President Nicolas Maduro as an attempt to destabilize Venezuela. In line with UNASUR, we call on the opposition to respect the will of the people and to recognize the results of the CNE.
By Julia Buxton - Latin American Bureau, Apr 28th 2013
Julia Buxton has been an observer at elections in Venezuela for nearly twenty years. In April 2013 this was the first election without Hugo Chávez since 1999. This is her report.
Nicolas Maduro's victory in the Venezuelan presidential election was narrower than anticipated. Nonetheless, it was clear enough. Yet the US government now seems to be playing politics with the outcome, emboldening Venezuela's opposition coalition by refusing to accept the results and trying to discredit Maduro's mandate.
By Chris Carlson - Venezuelanalysis.com, Apr 20th 2013
Opposition candidate Henrique Capriles has refused to acknowledge the results of the election, claiming the government committed fraud. In what follows, I will list all of the alleged evidence of fraud cited by Capriles, and explain why every single example is either demonstrably false, or extremely implausible.
While it is understandable that the United States is not pleased with the outcome of the election in Venezuela given their economic interests, it does not give them the right to undermine the political process of a sovereign country.
By Tamara Pearson - Venezuelanalysis.com, Apr 15th 2013
Why was the presidential election result so close, and why did some government supporters switch to supporting Capriles? As the opposition causes violence around the country, calling "fraud", what was it that worked with Capriles' campaign, and that didn't with Maduro's?
By Jody McIntyre - New Internationalist, Apr 13th 2013
Things are heating up in the centre of Caracas. The heat is sweltering and Venezuela’s presidential elections are fast approaching on 14 April. It is hard to find a quiet moment in between the seemingly endless ‘red points’ which hand out posters and information in support of Nicolás Maduro’s election campaign.
By Correo del Orinoco International, Apr 12th 2013
In the context of another presidential election set for this Sunday, members of the Venezuelan opposition have again used confusing campaign tactics in their bid to retake the government.
By Tamara Pearson – Venezuelanalysis.com, Apr 10th 2013
With just a few days to go till Venezuela votes for a new president, the mainstream media has stepped up its campaign in support of opposition candidate Henrique Capriles.
