Economic debacle and American sanctions oblige, Caracas is idling. Traffic jams have become rare. But, Thursday, the last meetings before the local elections of this Sunday, November 21, succeed in disrupting the traffic of the city. Here and there, Jeeps, clad with flags, election posters and giant loudspeakers, roar catchy jingles. Nobody pays attention to it.
The ballot, however, has historical value. The main opposition parties which, since 2017, called on their voters to abstain “So as not to endorse Maduro’s regime”, have indeed decided to return to the polls. Twenty-one million Venezuelans are called to elect 23 governors, 355 mayors and hundreds of regional and municipal councilors.
But politics are no longer fascinating. “These elections will not change anything”, considers Sonia, 53, an official at the Ministry of Health and a long-time activist of the Unified Socialist Party (PSUV, in power). She came to attend the end of campaign meeting of Hector Rodriguez, the governor of the state of Miranda, who is running for a second term. Red flag at the end of the arm, Sonia applauded her candidate, as usual. But, getting back on the bus that took her, she lets go: “The problem with Venezuela is that the government sucks, but the opposition is worse. “
A coat of arms to restore
At the other end of the city, Tomas Guanipa, the opposition candidate for mayor of Caracas, is expected in the Pastora district. The audience is smaller, but just as popular. “We have less resources than the PSUV”, recalls Jorge Armas, municipal councilor of opposition. In his immaculately ironed sky-blue shirt, he rejoices in being able to campaign in the poor areas of the city. “The climate is more serene than it was, rejoices Mr. Armas. The power, which wants these elections to restore its image on the international scene, leaves us alone. “ For sociologist Ignacio Avalos, director of the Venezuelan Electoral Observatory, these elections even allow “To end a cycle of confrontation”.
But the fractured opposition struggles to capitalize on discontent and embody change. Maduro’s Unified Socialist Party seems certain to win the majority of the 3,000 or so positions in power. “The PSUV presents 3,000 candidates and dust. The opposition, it presents more than 65,000. With that, all is said “, sighs Mr. Avalos.
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