Venezuela Socialist Party wins majority of local elections

World Today

Venezuela’s governing Socialist Party won most of the local elections on Sunday. The opposition partially boycotted the vote.

President Nicolas Maduro has weighed in on that saying they should be barred from future elections.

CGTN’s Stephen Gibbs reports from Caracas.

Now almost every mayor in this entire country is a government loyalist but result was not unexpected.

The three main opposition parties boycotted Sunday’s vote, saying they didn’t believe a fair election could be held here.

That gave the Maduro government almost a clear run-although some minor opposition parties did participate.

“A party that has not participated today and has called for the boycott of the elections – can’t participate anymore. That’s the criteria that the National Constituent Assembly has constitutionally and legally ruled. And I, as head of state of a constituted power, support them. They will not be able to participate. They will disappear from the political map.”, said Nicholas Maduro President of Venezuela.

So are we witnessing a further consolidation of power by Maduro. That is a matter of debate.

“I don’t think Maduro is stronger than yesterday. Why He has 300 mayorships. But he is facing a huge economic crisis. A financial crisis. An operative crisis. He is in trouble.”, said Edgar Gutierrez a Venezuelan political consultant.

“True, poverty is deepening in this country. Inflation is now believed to be running over 1,000 percent.”

The president does appear, for the time being, to have outwitted his opponents.

There is speculation here that he maybe tempted to hold a snap presidential election in the coming weeks.

He, for one, seems confident he can win.