00:00Heightened security for a high-stakes election.
00:03Morra!
00:04Venezuela's military, deployed as Nicolás Maduro,
00:08seeks a third consecutive term in office.
00:11But questions remain about whether the two candidates
00:14vying for the presidency are competing on an even playing field.
00:19If you don't want Venezuela to fall into bloodshed
00:24in a fratricidal civil war because of the fascists,
00:28then let's guarantee the biggest electoral success
00:31in the electoral history of our people.
00:33The president, no stranger to allegations of fraud,
00:37widely thought to have stolen the last two elections.
00:41Nearly 300 people have been detained in the lead-up to this vote
00:45on charges of terrorism or conspiracy.
00:48But Venezuela's attorney general insists the elections will be peaceful.
00:59Local polls show strong support for opposition candidate
01:02Edmundo González Urrutia.
01:05¡Venezuela, venezuela!
01:07But the retired diplomat described as a bird-loving grandfather
01:11was his party's third pick for the race.
01:14The first pick, and hugely popular opposition leader,
01:17was barred from running.
01:28That would mean the biggest migratory wave in history.
01:31Almost 8 million people have already fled
01:34to escape poverty and violence.
01:37In theory, they would be able to vote overseas,
01:39but again, the government, through different measures,
01:43prevented them from properly enrolling for voting,
01:47so they are not going to be able to vote.
01:59The country's GDP has shrunk by about three-quarters
02:04in the last decade.
02:05Rampant inflation also punishing many on the streets of Caracas.
02:28The US loosened oil and gas sanctions
02:30on condition President Maduro held fair elections.
02:34But they were reimposed in April after he jailed government critics.
02:39If he were to cling to power,
02:41the fact that the sanctions are there in place
02:44are a big factor or a major tool
02:49for the US and for other countries in the West
02:53to press for democracy.
02:54It will be six months until the winner takes office
02:58following Sunday's election.
02:59But if there is to be a transition of power,
03:02many fear Maduro will not go quietly.
03:06Hannah Quorn, SBS World News.
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