Briefings & Intelligence

10-12-2015: Latin American Weekly Report

  • LatinNews

Bolivarian Revolution suffers biggest reverse in 17 years

Not in 17 years of government has Venezuela’s Bolivarian Revolution suffered an electoral setback on the scale of that inflicted by the opposition on 6 December. The previous reverse in a 2007 referendum pales in comparison. The opposition Mesa de la Unidad Democrática (MUD) won 65% of the popular vote and secured a coveted two-thirds ‘supermajority’ in the national assembly. But this was an emphatic rejection of the government led by President Nicolás Maduro not a ringing endorsement of the MUD. Maduro has ruled out cooperating with the MUD-controlled legislature but if the MUD’s response is to misuse its newly gained power to confront his government it will rapidly lose borrowed popular support.

The national electoral council (CNE) came under fire during the campaign for failing to preserve a level playing field, turning a blind eye to the government’s misuse of public funds to support the campaign of the ruling Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela (PSUV), unequal access to the media and so on, but the CNE has established a deserved reputation for efficiency in verifying and counting votes. There was no electoral fraud. Indeed, the MUD won its two-thirds ‘supermajority’ in the 167-seat national assembly right on the button, with 112 deputies, the bare minimum required.

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