Venezuela Votes for Governors in a ‘Deficient Democracy’
- 7 years ago
Venezuela Votes for Governors in a ‘Deficient Democracy’
14, 2017
PUERTO CABELLO, Venezuela — For weeks, Alejandro Feo la Cruz, a former opposition mayor who is running for governor, has
crisscrossed his state in Venezuela with a simple message: The country’s ruling party can no longer feed its own people.
But while residents said they favored Mr. Feo la Cruz, few turned out
that day to see him, reflecting a sense of resignation among many Venezuelans that there was little the opposition would be able to do to turn around the country.
Polls show that Mr. Feo la Cruz — like most opposition candidates for the governorships
up for grabs in all 23 Venezuelan states on Sunday — should be a shoo-in.
"Our main challenge has been getting people’s hope back and channeling
that energy, the spirit of struggle, using the main weapon citizens have now: voting." Mr. Maduro’s party is backing Rafael Lacava, the 49-year-old former mayor of Puerto Cabello, who has spent much of the campaign handing out government-subsidized food and inaugurating new building projects to show his sway with the country’s leaders.
And the street protests that have rocked Venezuela for months this year, leaving at least 120 dead,
have largely dissolved, leaving few outlets of opposition to the country’s ruling socialist party.
Mr. Feo said that What we are living is no longer a democracy,
14, 2017
PUERTO CABELLO, Venezuela — For weeks, Alejandro Feo la Cruz, a former opposition mayor who is running for governor, has
crisscrossed his state in Venezuela with a simple message: The country’s ruling party can no longer feed its own people.
But while residents said they favored Mr. Feo la Cruz, few turned out
that day to see him, reflecting a sense of resignation among many Venezuelans that there was little the opposition would be able to do to turn around the country.
Polls show that Mr. Feo la Cruz — like most opposition candidates for the governorships
up for grabs in all 23 Venezuelan states on Sunday — should be a shoo-in.
"Our main challenge has been getting people’s hope back and channeling
that energy, the spirit of struggle, using the main weapon citizens have now: voting." Mr. Maduro’s party is backing Rafael Lacava, the 49-year-old former mayor of Puerto Cabello, who has spent much of the campaign handing out government-subsidized food and inaugurating new building projects to show his sway with the country’s leaders.
And the street protests that have rocked Venezuela for months this year, leaving at least 120 dead,
have largely dissolved, leaving few outlets of opposition to the country’s ruling socialist party.
Mr. Feo said that What we are living is no longer a democracy,