Maduro eyes 2nd term despite economic woes
Caracas, May 20: Venezuelans, reeling under a devastating economic crisis, began voting Sunday in an election boycotted by the opposition and condemned by much of the international community but expected to hand deeply unpopular President Nicolas Maduro a new mandate.
Mr Maduro, the political heir to the late leftist firebrand Hugo Chavez, has presided over an implosion of once wealthy oil producer Venezuela’s economy since taking office in 2013.
Hyperinflation, food and medicine shortages, rising crime and broken water, power and transportation networks have sparked violent unrest, and left Maduro with a 75percent disapproval rating.
Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans have fled the country in a mass exodus in recent years as the country descends into economic ruin.
Latest polls put Maduro neck- and- neck with his main rival Henri Falcon, a former army officer who failed to gain the endorsement of the main opposition, which is bitterly divided and has called for a boycott. A third candidate, evangelical pastor Javier Bertucci, is further back.
A low turnout, however, is expected the give Maduro, who has a tight grip on the electoral and military authorities, a comfortable victory.
Wearing a bright red shirt that identifies him as a “Chavista,” the president arrived early at a Caracas polling station along with his wife, former prosecutor Cilia Flores.
“Your vote decides: ballots or bullets, motherland or colony, peace or violence, independence or subordination,” said the 55- year- old former bus driver and union leader.
The comments reflected previous statements by the socialist leader that Venezuela is the victim of an “economic war” waged by the conservative opposition and outside powers such as the United States aimed at toppling him.
As the polls opened Sunday Washington denounced Venezuela’s “so- called elections” as “not legitimate.”
Maduro’s campaign chief, Jorge Rodríguez, said that “more than 2.5 million” of the 20.5 million eligible voters had cast ballots Sunday morning.