Venezuela’s Flawed Municipal Elections Reveal Ongoing Authoritarian Grip

Waiting in the wings of a rigged political theater, Venezuela prepares to elect 335 mayors and an equal number of municipal council members—but this election is far from free or fair. Orchestrated by the ruling socialist regime under Nicolás Maduro, these elections are rejected by the largest anti-Chavista coalition and only see participation from a fragmented minority opposition desperately trying to hold onto limited footholds. How Can a ‘Democracy’ Look Like This? The governing Gran Polo Patriótico coalition, led by the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), confidently forecasts sweeping victories. Their grip on power stretches back 25 years—a chokehold...