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.”
