Exit polling in Venezuela shows opposition beating Maduro by wide margin

[Jose Garcia]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Omaha Steve (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: Washington Post

CARACAS, Venezuela — The Venezuelan opposition was hopeful of an election victory Sunday that could bring an end to the authoritarian government of Nicolás Maduro and the socialist state that has controlled this crisis-stricken South American nation for a quarter-century.

Exit polling released after voting centers began to close Sunday evening showed opposition candidate Edmundo González taking 65 percent of the vote, more than doubling Maduro’s 31 percent, Edison Research reported. Venezuelans were waiting for official results.

The opposition, suffocated by Maduro’s autocratic rule and historically hobbled by infighting, sees its best chance in more than a decade to unseat the strongman, whom many here blame for this oil-rich country’s economic collapse and the exodus of millions of migrants, hundreds of thousands of them to the United States.

Maduro has barred the opposition’s chosen candidate, arrested campaign workers and blocked access to state media. Still, the opposition says it can win — and by a landslide. A high turnout could provide a significant boost; by 4 p.m., González’s campaign estimated that 11.7 million Venezuelans had voted, a participation rate of more than 54 percent.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/07/28/venezuela-election-maduro-gonzalez/

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Fantastic news!

[Polybius]

1. Fantastic news, but will it even matter?

I doubt Maduro will ever step down.

[DavidDvorkin]

2. Let's hope that doesn't mysteriously change when the votes are counted

Or "counted". That's what happened in Belarus.

[BSDemon]

8. Happened in Honduras in 2017

and automagically, after some shutdowns of the vote counting system, the official candidate, current president of that moment, that was ilegally seeking reelection there and Chump's ally btw, was winning by 5%.

[ColinC]

3. This makes me very happy!

[Polybius]

9. Me too, but I'm not sure why

He's not stepping down.

[ColinC]

10. Perhaps he isn't but it certainly gives his opposition a ton of legitimacy. And I imagine other parts of the government

Will work to sway him out

[ColinC]

12. Omg the government claims Maduro won 51-44??

Yeah exit polls aren’t going to be off by THAT much

[hueymahl]

4. Here is hoping Venezuela is finally free

of that evil socialist dictator that has almost destroyed what once was a rich and beautiful country. Its people deserve a lot more freedom.

[peppertree]

5. Another Biden accomplishment - for which the media will, I doubt very much, give him any credit

Unlike Cheetolino - who simply hired mercenaries to try to provoke a war with Venezuela (Operation Gideon) - Biden's people have been in regular contact with Maduro's people, to try to bring about an orderly transition.

And this was an indispensable step - one which few thought possible just a year or two ago (certainly not under Needy Amin!).

[Initech]

6. This is great news! Fuck fascists!

[hueymahl]

7. Agree, except the PSUV are left wing socialists

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Socialist_Party_of_Venezuela#:~:text=PSUV%252C%2520Spanish%2520pronunciation%253A%2520%255Bpe%CB%88su%CE%B2,led%2520by%2520President%2520Hugo%2520Ch%C3%A1vez.

But I agree with the sentiment!

[Igel]

11. I don't think the DSA are "fascists."

Sometimes I doubt I understand what many mean when they say "democratic". I mean, The USSR was always striving to "deepen democracy" but I doubt most of us would consider Brezhnev or Lenin, much less Stalin, as "democratic" in any recognizable sense of the word. (I hated running in to 'demokratiya' and words like 'ob"yektivno' in Russian ... often still do.)

The DSA supported the Bolivarian Revolution since its early days, call for revoking US sanctions against Venezuela, and their leadership met in support with Maduro in Venezuela last year in solidarity with the Venezuelan people and democracy and Revolution. Count the DSA as a Maduro ally and take their non-endorsement of AOC as a feather in her cap.

[Omaha Steve]

13. AFTER a review by forum hosts LOCKING

Polls are analysis and not allowed in LBN.

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