Venezuelans are casting their votes Sunday in parliamentary and regional elections clouded by political repression and a widespread opposition-led boycott.
The elections will fill 285 seats in the National Assembly, as well as 24 state governorships and 260 regional legislative positions. Nearly 21.4 million citizens are registered to vote, though turnout is expected to be significantly low.
This vote is the country’s most extensive electoral exercise since the disputed 2024 presidential election, which President Nicolás Maduro claimed to have won amid allegations of widespread fraud. Despite those claims, much of the international community — including the United States and several Latin American nations — recognized opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia as the legitimate winner.
Opposition Urges Boycott
The country’s main opposition movement, led by former lawmaker María Corina Machado, has denounced the elections as a “parody” intended to legitimize Maduro’s grip on power. Machado and her allies have called on Venezuelans to abstain from voting, arguing that participation would lend undue credibility to what they see as a rigged process.
Just days ahead of the vote, the Maduro government arrested dozens of critics and opposition figures, including Juan Pablo Guanipa, a close ally of Machado. Authorities accused Guanipa of leading a "terrorist network" allegedly planning to disrupt Sunday’s election. The arrests have further fueled accusations of a systematic crackdown on dissent.
Human rights groups and international observers have condemned the detentions, which come on the heels of a broader post-election crackdown in 2024. Since then, over 2,000 people — including political activists, poll workers, and minors — have been detained for protesting or criticizing the government.
Low Turnout Expected
A recent survey by Caracas-based polling firm Delphos, conducted between April 29 and May 4, found only 15.9% of respondents said they were very likely to vote. Of those, 74.2% indicated support for candidates from Maduro’s ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) and its allies, suggesting the results may heavily favor the incumbent government.
Only 13.8% of likely voters said they would support opposition-aligned candidates who have chosen to participate, despite the boycott calls.
The outcome of the election is unlikely to resolve Venezuela’s deepening political crisis, with critics saying the vote is another step in consolidating Maduro’s authoritarian control. Meanwhile, opposition leaders and much of the international community continue to push for free and fair elections under independent supervision.
