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2021 - Election - Subnational

Elections are one of the defining bases of a functioning democracy. In 2021, the state and municipal election cycles coincide. By June 20, some Venezuelan politicians who opposed Nicolas Maduro and his socialist party were already campaigning to run in gubernatorial and municipal elections, hoping that small victories could create momentum for the 2024 presidential election.

While Venezuela is legally a multiparty, constitutional republic, the illegitimate authoritarian regime led by Nicolas Maduro usurped control over the executive, judicial, citizens’ power (which includes the prosecutor general and ombudsman), and electoral branches of government, and stood up a parallel, illegitimate legislative body alongside the existing elected one. On January 10, 2019, Maduro’s constitutional term as president ended, but he refused to cede control based on his claimed “victory” in the 2018 presidential elections, which were widely condemned as neither free nor fair.

On January 23, 2019, Juan Guaido, as president of the National Assembly, assumed the role of interim president pursuant to the provisions of the constitution related to vacancies. Maduro, with the backing of Cuban security force members, refused to cede control over the instruments of state power, preventing interim president Guaido from exercising authority within the country despite his constitutional mandate. On 06 December 2020, the illegitimate Maduro regime organized parliamentary elections that were rigged in favor of the regime, and nearly 60 countries and international bodies publicly declared the elections were neither free nor fair.

Significant human rights issues included: unlawful or arbitrary killings, including extrajudicial killings by security forces of the illegitimate Maduro regime and colectivos; forced disappearances; torture and cases of cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment by security forces; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary detention by security forces; political prisoners or detainees; serious problems with the independence of the judiciary; and unlawful interference with privacy. The regime imposed serious restrictions on free expression, the press, and the internet, routinely blocking signals and interfering with the operations of, or shutting down, privately owned television, radio, and other media outlets. The regime essentially criminalized freedom of speech by declaring reporting unfavorable to its policies as libel and slander, incitement to violence, or terrorism.

The illegitimate Maduro regime used violence to repress peaceful demonstrations and freedom of assembly. The regime and its aligned groups disrupted church services, attacked churchgoers, and destroyed church property and that of other nongovernmental organizations and civil society. Citizens were unable to change their government peacefully through free and fair elections, and there were restrictions on political participation as well as intimidation, harassment, and abuse of National Assembly members, including denial of due process and parliamentary immunity. Pervasive corruption and impunity continued among all Maduro-aligned security forces and in other national and state regime offices, including at the highest levels, which the illegitimate regime made minimal efforts to eliminate.

In the elections to be held on 21 November 2021, Venezuelans will go to the polling stations to elect 23 governors, 335 mayors, and members of the regional and municipal legislative councils. President Nicolas Maduro highlighted that these elections path the way to new political leadership in the country, which is an essential step to move forward the Bolivarian Revolution. The National Electoral Council (CNE) installed 5.108 polling stations nationwide to guarantee the process. Over 100,000 candidates, 57,003 of which are women, are running for a post. Candidates will campaign from Oct. 28 to Nov. 18, a period in which they must win their votes among over 20 million Venezuelans who are eligible to vote.

Venezuela’s government-controlled electoral board said 29 June 2021 it would allow the nation’s main opposition coalition to take part in upcoming elections, in a bid to boost participation after years of boycotts. The Democratic Unity Roundtable opposition bloc, known as MUD, will be one of twenty recently authorized political parties through which candidates can vie for the more than 300 state and local positions up for election on 21 November.

After the arrival of the participating delegations to Mexico 13 August 2021, the dialogue between the Bolivarian Government of Venezuela and the opposition began with the aim of building an agreement for peaceful coexistence, reconciliation and the strengthening of democratic values. Hours before, the head of the government delegation, lawmaker and president of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, expressed his gratitude to the Mexican people and authorities for accepting to host this meeting.

According to the director of the Norwegian Center for Conflict Resolution, Dag Nylander, among the items on the agenda to be discussed during the dialogue are political rights, electoral guarantees, the lifting of coercive measures, the restoration of social peace and the return of assets illegally blocked abroad. In addition, respect for the constitutional rule of law, the renunciation of violent actions and reparations to the people who were victims of these acts in the country, as well as guarantees for the implementation and follow-up of what has been agreed upon, will be raised.

From Aug. 13 to Aug. 16, the Venezuelan government and the opposition held a first round of negotiations which ended with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Besides establishing the need for the lifting of economic sanctions, this document rejected any form of violence against the Venezuelan State and its government. From August to October 2021, negotiators from the Maduro government met with moderates from the Venezuelan opposition in Mexico in the third of such attempted talks. Supported by the US, EU, and Canada, these moderate opposition figures came to Mexico not as representatives of the so-called interim government of Juan Guaido, but as members of the Unitary Opposition Platform.

The opposition politicians also committed themselves to defend the national economy, recognize the support of third countries to the dialogue process, and to take part in the November subnational elections. Previously, instead of participating in the democratic processes called by the Venezuelan authorities, former lawmaker Juan Guaido and his supporters chose to initiate actions to destabilize President Maduro, who was reelected in 2018. Since then, however, Guaido's political goals were weakened as scandals broke about his corrupt acts. Currently, only 4 percent of Venezuelans believe him, according to Meganalisis pollster.

Representatives of Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro and opposition delegates resumed their process of dialogue in Mexico City on 03 September 2021. During the new round of dialogues, the Bolivarian government's representatives will propose the discussion of topics such as the devolution of 31 tons of gold bars held in the United Kingdom and US$8 billion in frozen funds. They also demanded the lifting of the U.S. blockade against the Venezuelan economy, which has lost revenues of about US$30 billion since 2015. The Netherlands, Russia, Bolivia, Turkey, and Norway are backing the dialogue process.

Over 21,000,000 Venezuelans were called to cast the ballots to elect 23 governors, 335 mayors, 253 lawmakers, and 2,471 councilors. The CNE said it had delivered credentials to over 300 international observers from 55 countries and institutions such as the European Union (the first in 15 years in which the EU sent observers), the United Nations (UN), and the Carter Center [no mention of thsiis on their website]. Nearly 70,000 candidates from all political forces in the South American nation contested the elections. They represented 37 national political parties and 43 regional organizations.

Turnout was 41 percent, a significant drop from the 61 percent in the 2017 governorship elections and a dip from the 47 percent in the municipal elections of that same year. However, compared to the 43 percent turnout for the simultaneous Chilean congressional and presidential election, Venezuelans came out in large numbers for what are otherwise uneventful local contests.

Venezuela's ruling United Socialist Party (PSUV) won in a landslide in the mega-elections, winning 20 of the 23 states. The US-backed right-wing opposition participated in Venezuela's mega-elections today, after boycotting recent votes and they were crushed. Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) President Pedro Calzadilla reported a 41.80 percent turnout in Sunday's Subnational elections. Having counted 90.21 percent of the ballots cast in the elections, Calzadilla reaffirmed that the elections took place in a peaceful environment. The United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) candidates hold leads in 20 out of 23 states for the governor's race. Meanwhile, the opposition coalition United Democratic Table (MUD) candidates secured a lead in the Cojedes and Zulia states. Neighbors Force (FV) party secured the other governor post for opposition sectors in the Nueva Esparta State.

From Nicaragua, President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo stated: “United by victories, our brotherhood is further confirmed. These are moments of triumph, joy, dignity, and courage, for the great people of Bolivar and Chavez, your people, Nicolas. We celebrate with you and with the Venezuelan families the successful election day and the formidable results showing the infinite strength of the Bolivarian people and their revolution… Let's go forward, all together, looking at the sun that illuminates us.” From Bolivia, President Luis Arce stated: “We congratulate the Venezuelan institutions and the people who decided to overcome their political differences democratically through the ballot box and banish all kinds of foreign interference. We acknowledge the work of the observers who accompanied this process.”

Following the November 2021, elections, the EUEOM issued a preliminary report that listed “areas for improvement,” including the issue of nonaccredited citizen observers at polling centers, untimely opening and closing of polling centers, the presence of puntos rojos (PSUV checkpoints used to coerce voters near polling stations), unequal media coverage of candidates, arbitrary disqualifications of candidates, moves to deprive party leaders the use of their party’s registration cards and names by reassigning them to rivals, and extensive use of state resources for campaign purposes. In its remarks, the EUEOM highlighted a deterioration of the rule of law, laws that reduce equality of electoral conditions and transparency, lack of judicial independence, and a law from 2002 that allows the Comptroller’s Officer to bar candidates from running. In November 2021, Maduro called members of the EUEOM “spies” and accused them of looking to “stain” the regional elections in their preliminary report.

In November 2021, the Electoral Chamber of the TSJ retroactively disqualified MUD candidate and apparent winner of the Barinas governorship, Freddy Superlano. The TSJ held a rerun of the Barinas election on January 9. Following the TSJ’s announcement, the regime disqualified two additional alternatives. Freddy Superlano’s spouse, Aurora Silva, was suggested as a replacement candidate but was also arbitrarily barred from running. The MUD’s second choice, Julio Cesar Reyes, a deputy in the 2015 National Assembly, was also not allowed to run. In December 2021, the Communist Party of Venezuela reported its candidate, Aldemaro Sanoja, was barred from office without cause. In the end, the MUD selected Sergio Garrido, who defeated the PSUV candidate on January 9.

On December 3, 2021, the EUEOM announced its delegation was required to leave the country on December 5, eight days prior to the originally agreed December 13 departure date. Media reported the early departure was due to the regime’s refusal to extend the mission’s visas. On February 22, the EUOEM presented its final report virtually, including 23 recommendations to improve electoral processes. The report highlighted the following concerns: the role exercised by the TSJ in the Barinas recall, the sustained attack against political parties through the seizure of party symbols and arbitrary selection of their purported leaders, the questionable role of the military in elections, the lack of balance in media coverage between PSUV and the opposition, and noncompliance with gender balance requirements in candidates’ lists, and other concerns.

In December 2021, the Carter Center issued its preliminary report on the November 21 regional elections. The report noted the elections were carried out in a context of social and economic crisis, political repression, restrictive freedom of speech, and regime electoral advantages. The report pointed to the use of puntos rojos, the opening of electoral centers beyond the 6 p.m. closing time, and the killing of a person in line to vote in Zulia State, as well as other aggressions in that state on election day. The Carter Center also raised concern regarding the regime-controlled TSJ decision to repeat the Barinas governorship election.

Presidential elections are scheduled to be held in Venezuela by 2024 to choose a president for a six-year term beginning on 10 January 2025.