The Opposition Mobilizes for the Presidential Referendum

Mr. Maduro’s administration, with the support of the Electoral National Council and Supreme Court of Justice, two branches of the government over which it has absolute control, has placed a series of formal obstacles of dubious legality in the opposition’s way. It has also increased repression against the opposition, including imprisoning several leaders of Voluntad Popular, the party of Leopoldo López, a political prisoner since February 2014. The government strategy, aimed at survival, has led to functional paralysis in state institutions, but so far it has been successful in avoiding the recall referendum. Last August, the Venezuelan opposition, united in an ad hoc political organization known as the Mesa de la Unidad Democratica, started to organize mass demonstrations to demand that the electoral council set a schedule for the referendum. The first demonstration on Sept. 1 was a huge success for three reasons. First, it was enormous, despite the government’s attempts to obstruct it. Second, it was peaceful. Third, it once again raised the specter of defeat for Mr. Maduro and his allies, as did the parliamentary elections in December. More…