Maduro declared winner in Venezuela's election
Source: ABC News
Venezuela's election officials say socialist leader Nicolás Maduro has won a second six-year term as president of the oil-rich South American country, while his main rivals are disputing the legitimacy of the vote and calling for a new election.
The National Election Council announced that with almost 93% of polling stations reporting, Maduro won nearly 68% of the votes in Sunday's election, beating his nearest challenger Henri Falcón by almost 40 points.
The opposition throughout the day argued that a Maduro victory would lack legitimacy because many voters stayed home, heeding the call to boycott an election seen as rigged. Government critics also say other voters were pressured into voting for Maduro.
Electoral authorities say turnout is projected to reach 48%.
The United States and many governments around the world rejected the election even before ballots were cast as several key rivals of Maduro were barred from running.
Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/latest-pope-francis-prays-venezuelans-55305346
oneshooter
(8,614 posts)Archae
(46,327 posts)But oh yes, people like former dictator Stroessner get condemned up the wazoo, with good reason.
But since Maduro is "leftist," he's left off the hook.
Mike Rows His Boat
(389 posts)... Maduro is "leftist," he's left off the hook??
Where?
Your screed reads like its a tad unhinged.
Jedi Guy
(3,186 posts)It was a little bit hyperbolic, since on this thread you can see lots of criticism of Maduro and his regime. There for a while, though, any thread about Venezuela played host to a group who'd defend him rabidly and insist that CIA was the sole source of the country's woes.
Mike Rows His Boat
(389 posts)Problem is (for me) is that the hyperbole used in the verbal war against Chavez was so over the top, it renders much of the complaints about Maduro as more-of-the-same anti Ven BS.
I'm sure you remember the DICTATOR FOR LIFE!!11 screeds back then (during Vens constitutional rewrite vote).
Turned out to be all BS.
Anti Maduro-ists say almost exactly the same shit. Anyone who attempts rational discussion (with a historical perspective) is branded a Chavista, or a Leninist/Marxist. Sounds like RWers in their screeds against Obama. Not really an effective approach, imo.
EX500rider
(10,842 posts)When you rig elections and jail the opposition you are "the DICTATOR FOR LIFE!"
Wasn't Chavez in office from 1999 till he died in 2013? The 1st elections were clean but as he got more unpopular they started the arrests and the rigging.
Mike Rows His Boat
(389 posts)Chavez Third Term
In the presidential election of December 2006, which saw a 74% voter turnout, Chávez was once more elected, this time with 63% of the vote, beating his closest challenger Manuel Rosales, who conceded his loss.[226] The election was certified as being free and legitimate by the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Carter Center.[229][230][231] After this victory, Chávez promised an "expansion of the revolution."[232]
Your agenda is clear.
EX500rider
(10,842 posts)In 2010, Amnesty International criticized the Chávez administration for targeting critics following several politically motivated arrests.[377] Freedom House listed Venezuela as being "partly free" in its 2011 Freedom in the World annual report, noting a recent decline in civil liberties.[378] A 2010 Organization of American States report found concerns with freedom of expression, human rights abuses, authoritarianism, press freedom, threats to democracy,[379][380] as well as erosion of separation of powers, the economic infrastructure and ability of the president to appoint judges to federal courts.
Human Rights Watch criticized Chávez for engaging in "often discriminatory policies that have undercut journalists' freedom of expression".[370] Freedom House listed Venezuela's press as being "Not Free" in its 2011 Map of Press Freedom, noting that "[t]he gradual erosion of press freedom in Venezuela continued in 2010."[397] Reporters Without Borders criticized the Chávez administration for "steadily silencing its critics".[398] In the group's 2009 Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders noted that "Venezuela is now among the regions worst press freedom offenders.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Ch%C3%A1vez
Mike Rows His Boat
(389 posts)If you're going to support your arguments, at least do it truthfully.
You said that Chavez was unpopular at his re election. Not evidenced by a 75% turnout & 63% win.
Now, you're shifting the topic in your responses.
Have a great day doing this. Not playing games with shifting goalposts with you.
You want to universally condemn the Ven gov't? Go ahead. Just do it in a fact-based and coherent way.
EX500rider
(10,842 posts)....then he started the jailing popular politicians and the buying of votes and the crack down on the free press.
scarletwoman
(31,893 posts)Real DU oldtimers might possibly remember me as a Chavista way back when. I certainly wanted his socialist "Bolivarian Revolution" to succeed.
Unfortunately, due to his reliance on the then high oil prices, as well as the Venezuelan oil industry for the financial means to back up his reforms; instead of diversifying the Venezualean economy, he left it completely reliant on the oil market. Once he died and the bottom fell out of the oil market, the country was left S.O.L., and Maduro clearly has not the smarts or charisma or vision to bring along the populace into a national project of betterment.
stevenleser
(32,886 posts)Everywhere you go in Latin America, Venezuelans are either trying to migrate there in large numbers, go there on work visas in large numbers. or both.
Demovictory9
(32,454 posts)Perseus
(4,341 posts)Chavez was never about making Venezuela a better country. To begin with, he was a criminal who lead a failed coup and he and his men killed a good number of innocent people.
From the very beginning he allied himself to Fidel Castro, it is like what is happening in the USA with trump and putin...Because Chavez was a political neophyte, Castro led him all the years he was in power, and Castro's only goal was to enrich Cuba with Venezuelan oil, and not for the Cubans but for him and his family.
Everyone allied with Chavez in Venezuela began robbing the country and they are all millionaires today, his family now owns a huge compound and are worth a few billion dollars.
He created a militia which has been responsible for thousands of deaths of innocent people, these militias have made kidnapping an industry in Venezuela. Nine out of ten people have been robbed in plain light, in the middle of the street with onlookers, and anyone who dared to help the person being robbed got shot.
I remember many people at DU praising Chavez and his "socialist" regime. One thing to be clear about is that "socialism" is only a theory, it doesn't work by itself, it is just a tool used by dictators to seduce the masses. Democratic-Socialism does work because it controls capitalism and also provides social services to the population to help them get ahead.
It is important to take the experience of having supported Chavez in the past and then seeing the truth of his intentions to make sure that in the future due diligence will be made to elect and support good people who are sincere in helping the country become better.
This is no criticism on your past support for Chavez, a lot of people believed him when he first came on the scene, his rhetoric during the campaign has to be one of the best which, if he had carried out half of what he promised, Venezuela would not be in the situation they find themselves in today.
They claim 48% attendance for voting, I have my reasons to believe that it is a lie, all the videos I have seen show the voting places completely empty, when in the past there were lines around the blocks, not one person seen voting today in almost all those places.
joshcryer
(62,270 posts)I was a Chavista in the very early years but opened my eyes to the rampant cronyism. I just had to stop paying attention to that country.
Venezuela could've gone the way of Chile in the nearly two decades of chavismo but instead it has turned into a depostic nightmare hellhole. Whenever I go on Venezuelan forums all I see is death, destruction, cronyism, and suffering.
I warned years ago that the US was getting off of Venezuelan oil and the prospects for using the oil to build a civilized society are quickly dimming. There's a literal migration crisis as Venezuelans are migrating out of Venezuela to Colombia, of all places. Colombia.
GatoGordo
(2,412 posts)He was no friend to the unions. He busted the PdVSA union in 2003 (Reagan and PATCO, anyone?) when he fired 18,000 who struck for better wages and benefits and replaced them with PSUV party lackeys.
The entire infrastructure of VZ is a shambles. He (and now Maduro) place priority on buying votes and not on effective stewardship.
Judi Lynn
(160,527 posts)Same racist right-wingers attempted to claim Chavez' election was fixed, as well.
When they know they won't win, they attempt to arrange the perception that they were "cheated."
Maybe the masses don't like the racist oligarchy's history formed before Chavez, including the Caracazo Massacre, and their "guarimbas" (violent protests) when they were put out of power by Hugo Chavez.
stevenleser
(32,886 posts)to field a candidate. That is the same thing as not offering the people a choice.
Venezuela has utterly disintegrated, from one of the best economies in the region to one of the worst. Add rampant crime, the worst homicide rate in the region and it's the sick man of South America. Venezuelans are trying to emigrate or go other places for work in huge numbers.
Archae
(46,327 posts)stevenleser
(32,886 posts)joshcryer
(62,270 posts)stevenleser
(32,886 posts)that none of the other parties could field an effective candidate either.
Sickening.
Yupster
(14,308 posts)He bought a home recently. He's working on getting his citizenship.
He had a housewarming party and staying with him was a very pretty young woman from Venezuela. She didn't speak English but my friend said her goal is to marry am American but whatever happens she won't go back to Venezuela when her visa expires. My friend is quite a bit older, and is a skilled oil worker who is married to a doctor.
GatoGordo
(2,412 posts)Plenty of young girls with no prospects in Venezuela are now "consorts" for men who can pay for their services throughout Latin America.
I was in Costa Rica within the last 6 months, and there were so many Venezuelan women working in brothels and on the streets that it was newsworthy. Typically, CR media likes to keeps such things "sub-rosa", but the CR women working in such trades were complaining that they were having to cut wages due to increased supply.
Mike Rows His Boat
(389 posts)More prostitutes lining Calle Ocho than you can shake a stick at. Vast increase in numbers.
Most of them are ex-Cubans and immigrants/refugees from other Lat Am/Caribbean countries.
Good to keep in mind that when you're pointing a finger, there's three fingers pointing back at you.
JI7
(89,249 posts)be a place tourists around ther world come to.
But shitty leaders destroying the country.
7962
(11,841 posts)The "red points" where you got food and water after scanning you "fatherland" card. Does that sound familiar? Long as you vote the "right" way you get to survive another day
The govt "helpers" posted to "assist" voters
It goes on and on.
Racists! Racists! Everywhere!!
You're OK with seeing millions of people literally go hungry EVERY DAY just to feed the bloated Maduro's ego? And his minions?
SAD!
Response to 7962 (Reply #16)
Post removed
MosheFeingold
(3,051 posts)The election was pretty clearly a sham.
EX500rider
(10,842 posts)Are you saying the EU is run by "right wing racists"? lol
"When they know they won't win"
You mean when Maduro jails them on trumped up charges so they can't run?
The 14-nation Lima group of Latin American countries plus Canada issued a statement on Monday saying it did not recognise the legitimacy of Venezuelas presidential election.
Canada also run by "racist right-wingers"?
GatoGordo
(2,412 posts)You go on and on about the reactionary right wing in Venezuela, yet you never put a name on them.
Please inform us WHO the right wing racists in Venezuela are?
Judi Lynn
(160,527 posts)Street action is now regularly used with western backing to target elected governments in the interests of elites
Seumas Milne in Caracas
@seumasmilne
Wed 9 Apr 2014 16.30 EDT
If we didn't know it before, the upsurge in global protest in the past couple of years has driven home the lesson that mass demonstrations can have entirely different social and political meanings. Just because they wear bandannas and build barricades and have genuine grievances doesn't automatically mean protesters are fighting for democracy or social justice.
From Ukraine to Thailand and Egypt to Venezuela, large-scale protests have aimed at, or succeeded in, ousting elected governments in the past year. In some countries, mass protests have been led by working class organisations, targeting austerity and corporate power. In others, predominantly middle class unrest has been the lever to restore ousted elites.
Sometimes, in the absence of political organisation, they can straddle the two. But whoever they represent, they tend to look similar on TV. And so effective have street demonstrations been in changing governments over the past 25 years that global powers have piled into the protest business in a major way.
From the overthrow of the elected Mossadegh government in Iran in the 1950s, when the CIA and MI6 paid anti-government demonstrators, the US and its allies have led the field: sponsoring "colour revolutions", funding client NGOs and training student activists, fuelling social media protest and denouncing or ignoring violent police crackdowns as it suits them.
. . .
What are portrayed as peaceful protests have all the hallmarks of an anti-democratic rebellion, shot through with class privilege and racism. Overwhelmingly middle class and confined to wealthy white areas, the protests have now shrunk to firebombings and ritual fights with the police, while parts of the opposition have agreed to peace talks.
More:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/09/venezuela-protest-defence-privilege-maduro-elites
7962
(11,841 posts)And also calling Maduro a "progressive". What an insult to actual progressives.
In case you haven't noticed, the "rich" mentioned as villains in the article have mostly already fled this failed country.
This shitty attempt at journalism claims that poverty is 1/3 of what it used to be.
The reality is the Bolivar has lost 99% of its value, basic commodities are nowhere to be found (unless you're in the govt!), businesses are robbed by the govt, trade and travel is pretty much non-existant, etc. Professional women have been reduced to prostitution in neighboring countries. The list goes on. The ONLY reason the richest country in South America hasnt totally fallen apart yet is because of heavy Cuban & Russian involvement. Are you also critical of THEM for clamping down on opposition? Would you like it if Trumps backers did the same thing HERE?
But you actually think WE are to blame for this incompetence. Amazing.
Judi Lynn
(160,527 posts)7962
(11,841 posts)Jedi Guy
(3,186 posts)It's more that you're shockingly, sickeningly, ludicrously uninformed. All you've got in response to the problems with this sham election is "the racist right wingers did it!!1" Absolutely absurd.
The tactics used by Maduro to "win" this election are utterly reprehensible. Why are you carrying water for this kind of thuggery?
EX500rider
(10,842 posts)Mike Rows His Boat
(389 posts)EX500rider
(10,842 posts)Mike Rows His Boat
(389 posts)As for Cuba ...
Osvaldo Dorticós Torrado (April 17, 1919 June 23, 1983) was a Cuban politician who served as the President of Cuba from 1959 until 1976
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osvaldo_Dorticós_Torrado
You know jack about Cuba.
EX500rider
(10,842 posts)EX500rider
(10,842 posts)Since Cuba became a one-party republic and the Communist party became the official political party, the Cuban political system has been condemned by opposition groups, human rights groups, and foreign Western governments as undemocratic, a dictatorship or an authoritarian or totalitarian state, with all public elections considered to be only show elections.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_Cuba
EX500rider
(10,842 posts)Those were the reasons Cuba is not a democracy, Venezuela has other reasons.
Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)Those poor people are fucked.
brooklynite
(94,530 posts)Alethia Merritt
(147 posts)"The opposition throughout the day argued that a Maduro victory would lack legitimacy because many voters stayed home, heeding the call to boycott an election seen as rigged."
Sound familiar? Can we get a new election based on the same allegation?
All culprits on the right and on the left who had this as their mantra gave us what we now have in the WH. When it comes to elections, non-participation is actually a vote...for what you don't want.
sandensea
(21,627 posts)The leading opposition candidate himself, progressive Henri Falcón (who would have been their best choice, I think), repeatedly called on anti-Maduro voters not to boycott.
Their contention, of course, is that they would have been cheated - but even if true, staying home only legitimizes the presumptive fraud. It makes the culprits' job that much easier.
"See? We didn't cheat; they didn't vote."
The very thing the GOP had been trying to accomplish for 20 years.
Mike Rows His Boat
(389 posts)Last edited Mon May 21, 2018, 05:23 PM - Edit history (1)
Makes one wonder about the posters supporting the very action (boycotting voting) that empower the claimed fraud. Hmmm.
GatoGordo
(2,412 posts)While abstention isn't a good thing ordinarily, it was what was needed in this scenario.
Maduro had showed time and time again that he wasn't going to play fair. If all 20 million Venezuelans had shown up to vote, he would have received 67% of the votes. If 10 Venezuelans had shown up, he would have had 67% of the votes.
It doesn't matter, because each time the opposition in Venezuela played by the rules, Chavismo changed the rules.
His CNE is illegal. His TSJ is illegal. His ANC is illegal. His security apparatus doesn't answer to the constitution, only to the PSUV and Maduro. Maduro has given the military control over the oil. He has replaced every lieutenant through general with party loyalists.
Falcon is a former PSUV lackey (but still an avowed Chavist) who STILL thinks that The Answer is "another election". Maduro has proven time and again that the rule of law doesn't apply to him and the Bolivarian Revolution.
The elections were a joke. All the major political parties were banned from fielding a candidate, as well as ANY legitimate threats from individual candidates.
7962
(11,841 posts)Always has been , always WILL be.