The refusal by presidential candidate Henri Falc贸n to recognise the results bodes poorly for Nicolas Maduro鈥檚 new term as president. The consolidation of a moderate bloc within the opposition that Falc贸n represented 鈥 which recognises the government鈥檚 legitimacy 鈥 would have significantly cut into the strength of the more intransigent or radical parties on the right and provided Venezuelan politics with much needed stability.
Henri Falcon
More than 300 international representatives from organisations such as the聽African Union, the聽Caribbean Community聽and the聽Electoral Experts Council of Latin America, as well as former heads of states, parliamentarians, trade unionists and solidarity activists, were present for Venezuela鈥檚 May 20 presidential vote. Among them was Eulalia Reyes de Whitney, a Venezuelan-born activist with the Australia Venezuela Solidarity Network (AVSN).
Campaigning is well underway for Venezuela鈥檚 May 20 national vote to elect the nation鈥檚 president and representatives to municipal councils and state legislatures. To get a sense of the campaign and situation in the South American country today, Federico Fuentes spoke to Australia Venezuela Solidarity Network (AVSN) Brisbane co-convenor Eulalia Reyes de Whitney, who has been back in her home country for the past several months.
The United States administration has stepped up聽its efforts聽at 鈥渞egime change鈥 in Venezuela in recent weeks.