Fausta's Blog

American and Latin American Politics, Society, and Culture

October 16, 2017 By Fausta

Venezuela: More election fraud

Yesterday Venezuela held elections for its 23 state governors, and as usual, amidst more fraud. Of course, Maduro’s party, the PSUV, won.

Clueless NPR was surprised.

Mary O’Grady writes on Venezuela’s Latest Election Fraud. Maduro allowed the phony balloting only to preserve the illusion of democracy.

Sunday’s exercise in the Cuba-backed dictatorship was a sham.

Maduro had other motives as well. He wants to lull Venezuelans into the false sense that a transition away from communism is possible at the ballot box. That illusion has so far held back rebellion.

He also seeks to legitimize his illegal “constituent assembly,” elected on July 30—from an unchallenged list of candidates—to replace the Legislature and rewrite the constitution. He said voting Sunday was an endorsement of the new assembly and any opposition governor who will not swear allegiance to it will be removed.

The fraud was under way long before the first vote was cast. The dictatorship announced the election only a month in advance. Candidates rushed to submit their names under a five-day deadline. Later the regime decided to hold a day of primaries. But when antigovernment candidates who lost the primaries asked to withdraw and throw their support to the primary winners, the regime refused to take their names off the ballot.

And then polling stations were relocated.

Caracas Chronicles looks Down the Sketchy Election Fraud Road, Again.

Daniel Duquenal calls it A grotesque electoral fraud. As one of his commenters said, “Dictatorships don’t leave with votes.”

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Filed Under: Communism, elections, Fausta's blog, Venezuela Tagged With: Nicolas Maduro, PSUV

December 30, 2015 By Fausta

Venezuela: Chavistas, kicking & screaming, appeal election results

Six days to go before the new National Assembly is sworn in, the PSUV contests the election results:

Venezuela contesting elections; opposition on verge of losing supermajority in assembly (emphasis added)

Venezuela’s ruling party filed motions to dispute the election of eight lawmakers from the opposition coalition, which on Dec. 6 obtained a majority with enough power to rein in President Nicolás Maduro, sack Cabinet ministers and even call an assembly to rewrite Hugo Chávez’s 1999 constitution.

The government’s party needs to succeed in unseating just one of the eight elected lawmakers to take away the so-called supermajority from the opposition.

The motions were filed Tuesday before the Supreme Court, just days after the government appointed 13 new justices — including two of the five justices from the Sala Electoral, the panel charged with all electoral issues.

As I said on December 7,

The immediate challenge:
The new members to the National Assembly do not take office until January 5th. Diosdado Cabello and his goons can cause a lot of harm and mayhem in one month.

The takeaway: What takes place in Venezuela in the next month, and in the first six months of 2016 will be crucially important for our entire hemisphere.

[Post re-entered to include omitted text]

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Filed Under: elections, Venezuela Tagged With: Fausta's blog, PSUV

December 9, 2015 By Fausta

Venezuela: Let’s not get too carried away with the celebrations

It is now official:

Venezuelan electoral authorities have confirmed that the opposition has won a key two-thirds majority, enabling it to challenge President Nicolas Maduro.

Democratic Unity coalition won the necessary 112 of 167 congressional seats to gain a two-thirds supermajority.

There are positive reactions, Venezuela Awakens From Its 17-Year Socialist Nightmare, which it has. John Hinderaker said, HASTA LA VISTA, SOCIALISM!

As you may know, I am delighted that the opposition won decisively and overwhelmingly over the chavista‘s PSUV. I just can’t join Hinderaker in bidding socialism good-bye yet.

For instance, there’s the talk,

You talk in order to maintain the illusion a conversation is still possible. The voters in Venezuela, after 17 years of voting Chavismo into power, believe they can vote Maduro out of office. The opposition may now have 113 seats in a 167-member assembly, a two thirds majority.  Maduro gone, right?  Well not necessarily. As the Chavista president reminded the voters: voting out socialism is no ordinary matter. Whatever you do, you can’t stop the revolution.

Maduro’s arguments are another way of asserting what we hear from time to time. When the “gains” of  a messianic system become too great to reverse, they become too important to ever be given back. Other projects of equal weight, like the formation of the European Union, are of such importance that they adhere to the principle of “vote until you get it right.” For example,Ireland and Denmark were put through two referendums until they accepted the desired result. In the things that really matter, the moral arc of history — not uninformed public opinion — gets the last word.

The tweet,
“Here we are, the children of Bolívar and Chávez, [standing] Firm!!! #WithOurMoraleIntact”
The poster reads [my translation],


“No crying in defeat”

It was precisely that aspect of Lenin’s activity which allowed him to build an army of soldiers committed to the end to our cause, and confident in its strength.
Josef Stalin’s speech to Kremlin army cadets

[Note: I could not verify that the quote is authentic, but the message is clear.]

#SinLloriqueos 4/4 | Aquí estamos los hijos de Bolívar y Chávez Firmes!!! #ConLaMoralintacta pic.twitter.com/doKC2alICy

— PSUV (@PartidoPSUV) December 8, 2015

The chavistas are not happily riding into the sunset, there are plenty of foreign actors involved in Venezuela (Cuba, the FARC, Iran and its proxy Hezbollah), the opposition is not a uniform lot, and the people are impatient for results.

A lot can happen between now and the new National Assembly’s January 5th inauguration.

Bonus, in Spanish,
Emili Basco: El chavismo quiso romper el proceso electoral y posponerlo. Una operación opositora colocó inhibidores de señal en 1.600 centros; eso bloqueó las comunicaciones de los activistas del PSUV para el fraude



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Filed Under: Communism, Venezuela Tagged With: Emili J. Blasco, Fausta's blog, MUD, PSUV

December 7, 2015 By Fausta

Venezuela: Opposition wins by a landslide

The headline:
Venezuelan Opposition Wins Midterm Congressional Elections. Venezuela’s opposition, riding a wave of voter anger amid a deep economic crisis, swept to a big victory in midterm elections, delivering a major blow to the ruling Socialist party and President Nicolás Maduro.

If the opposition wins at least some of the remaining 22 races, they would get close to a supermajority, which would give them greater powers.
. . .
Three-fifths of congress—101 or more deputies—would permit the passage of powerful laws that could lead to a host of deep overhauls.

The elections board did not announce results until 12:30AM today, but by 11:00PM Caracas time last night, the PSUV already had workers dismantling the bandstand for the scheduled victory concert at Bolívar Square,

Desmontan tarima que comando Psuv habían colocado para concierto de grupo Madera en Plaza Bolívar 11:00 pm #6D pic.twitter.com/7FA6VEbVfH”

— NIMRÓD (@nimrodccs) December 7, 2015

With 75% total turnout, the opposition majority was overwhelming enough that no amount of fraud, mismanagement, and intimidation could overcome it. That said, I’m absolutely thrilled that my forecast was wrong.

El Pais and Caracas Chronicles live-blogged.

BBC:

Venezuela: What will change after the opposition win?

President Maduro’s term runs until April 2019.However, once he is halfway into his term, from April 2016 onwards, a recall referendum could be held.

Drudge:
Venezuela opposition thrashes ‘Chavismo’ to win legislature…

Socialists on the run!

CNN: Venezuela’s opposition party wins parliament in a blow to Maduro

At the blogs:
First Report By Venezuelan Electoral Board Gives Opposition 99 Deputies

A vote for the times

Venezuelan Opposition Takes Congress Back from Chavismo. 99 of 167 Seats Secured, Two-Thirds Majority Still Up for Grabs

#Venezuela #6D #TriunfalaLibertad Régimen anuncia que perdió: 99 diputados de oposición

José Benegas looks at the ideology behind chavismo (in Spanish).

Some of the long-term challenges ahead:
PDVSA corruption, mismanagement, declining production.
The oil giveaways to Cuba.
Cuba’s control of the Venezuelan security apparatus.
The cartel de los soles.
Iran-Venezuela ties (including the official passports issued to members of Iran-sponsored Hezbollah).
The colectivos.
The ruinous economic situation.
And these are just the ones that first come to mind.

The immediate challenge:
The new members to the National Assembly do not take office until January 5th. Diosdado Cabello and his goons can cause a lot of harm and mayhem in one month.

The takeaway: What takes place in Venezuela in the next month, and in the first six months of 2016 will be crucially important for our entire hemisphere.

UPDATE:
Linked to by GOP News. Thank you!

Linked to by Hot Air. Thank you!

Linked to by Rage and War. Thank you!

Linked to by American Thinker. Thank you!

Linked to by The Diplomad. Thank you!

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Filed Under: elections, Venezuela Tagged With: Cartel de los Soles, Fausta's blog, MUD, PSUV

December 4, 2015 By Fausta

Venezuela: Elections on Sunday

Venezuelans will be voting on all 167 seats in the National Assembly. My prediction: the PSUV will retain control.

A few links,
The Economist: Election primer

WSJ: Venezuela Regime Fights Back Against Surging Opposition as Elections Near. Socialist government, facing prospect of defeat on Sunday vote, resorts to spreading fear and currying favor

Financial Times: What to watch for in the Venezuela election

VN&V: Electoral paranoia (YV-8)

Caracas Chronicles’ Francisco Toro: Politics, actually. 6D will deeply transform Venezuela’s political landscape. How? By reintroducing politics into it.

Devil’s Excrement: The Devil Looks At the Upcoming Elections In Venezuela

I hope I’m wrong.

In other news,
Maduro’s Sisters Hold Secret Meeting with Kirchner in Buenos Aires. Clarín Journalist Reveals Private Encounter with Outgoing Argentinean President

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Filed Under: elections, Venezuela Tagged With: Fausta's blog, PSUV

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