Venezuela: Presidential elections postponed to May 20 /update 5

Event

The National Electoral Council (CNE) announced on Thursday, March 1, that the upcoming snap presidential elections - originally scheduled for April - have been postponed to May 20. According to the CNE, the April 22 vote was delayed after the government reached an agreement with Henri Falcón, one of the opposition leaders. Leaders from the MUD (Mesa de la Unidad Democrática) opposition coalition criticized Falcón’s decision to submit his candidacy and called for supporters to abstain from voting. The CNE also announced that municipal and legislative elections would also be held at the same time.

The official campaign period will run from April 2 to April 19. Protests with the potential to turn violent - e.g. be forcibly dispersed by security forces - are likely in the run-up to the vote, particularly in areas where the opposition has traditionally enjoyed the deepest support (Caracas, San Cristóbal, Mérida). Incidents of political violence (assassinations, arrests, etc.) are also possible. Unrest is possible on election day and following the announcement of the results.

Context

Falcón, a member of the Avanzada Progresista (AP) party, is not part of the MUD coalition. The government announcement initially made in late January 2018 stating that presidential elections would be held by the end of April was highly criticized by the political opposition and members of the international community, saying it would not be possible to organize legitimate elections in such a short timeframe. Some countries, including the United States and Colombia, have already said they will not recognize the results of the vote.

On February, 21, opposition leader Antonio Ledezma stated that the opposition will not take part in the presidential elections due to major concerns regarding its legitimacy. The MUD coalition had already been barred from entering a candidate and a number of political opposition leaders were not permitted to run as they have been jailed, forced into exile, or banned from public office..

Advice

Individuals in Venezuela are advised to strictly avoid all protests and rallies due to the likelihood of violence and to keep abreast of the sociopolitical climate.