- Nicolás Maduro’s PSUV party won 82.68% of votes and 23 of 24 governorships.
- Main opposition boycotted the vote over alleged fraud in the 2024 presidential election.
- Over 70 arrests were made amid a crackdown on dissent before the polls.
President Nicolás Maduro’s ruling party secured a landslide victory in Venezuela’s parliamentary and regional elections, capturing over 82% of the votes and nearly all state governorships.
The political climate ahead of the election was tense, with dozens arrested for alleged plots to disrupt the process. Among those detained was opposition leader Juan Pablo Guanipa, accused of leading a “terrorist network.”
Boycotted Ballots: Maduro Consolidates Power Amid Election Crackdown
The Venezuelan government claimed a resounding win in the recent elections, with official figures showing the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) and its allies securing over four-fifths of the vote. This result enables them to dominate the National Assembly and reassert influence over vital state institutions.
The election was heavily boycotted by the opposition, which argues that Maduro’s government stole the July 2024 presidential vote. Opposition leaders encouraged abstention, describing the process as undemocratic and a rubber stamp for a regime accused of authoritarianism.
The lead-up to the elections was fraught with repression. Over 70 individuals were arrested for allegedly conspiring to sabotage the vote, with authorities accusing them of being part of a foreign-backed destabilization campaign. The government’s narrative of external threats served to justify increased internal surveillance and arrests.
Despite the electoral victory, questions remain over the legitimacy of the vote due to low turnout, opposition boycott, and international concern. Independent observers were largely absent, and citizens reported empty polling stations, raising doubts about public support for the ruling party’s claim to democratic mandate.
While Maduro celebrates an electoral triumph, the widespread boycott, repression, and low voter turnout underscore Venezuela’s deepening democratic crisis.
“Elections should be free, fair, and competitive — not tools to entrench authoritarian rule.” — Anonymous political analyst
