Venezuela: Presidential elections on May 20 /update 8

Event

Presidential and legislative council elections will be held in Venezuela on Sunday, May 20. President Nicolás Maduro is running for reelection and is widely expected to be named the victor. The main opposition coalition MUD (Mesa de la Unidad Democrática) is boycotting the vote, claiming free and fair elections are not possible under Maduro’s increasingly authoritarian regime. However, one opposition candidate is in the running, Henri Falcón of the leftist AP (Avanzada Progresista) party.

Protests and outbreaks of violence are possible on election day and after results are released, particularly if Maduro and his PSUV (Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela) party come out on top, a near-certainty. A heightened security presence is to be expected, with clashes and transportation disruptions possible, notably in the capital Caracas. 

Context

In the first half of 2017, Venezuela was shaken by four months of violent anti-government protests, coinciding with ongoing political, economic, social, and health crises. Significant unrest also broke out in 2014 following the last presidential elections and again in early 2016. All told, hundreds of people have been killed during protests - many by security forces who have repeatedly been accused of excessive use of force - with thousands more injured and arrested.

While the incidence of protests has fallen significantly in recent months, the potential for further large-scale protests and associated violence persists.

Advice

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