Maduro’s Payoff Couldn’t Beat Abstention

As expected, the government managed to paint the map of Venezuela red, landing 331 municipalities and leaving the opposition with only four, in city government elections marked by violations and abstention Sunday. At one point during the journey, head of government Nicolas Maduro offered to pay voters. “We have the duty to listen to the more than 70% of Venezuelans that didn’t vote,” tweeted losing candidate for the Chacao municipality, Robert Garcia, in conceding remarks. Gustavo Duque, for the opposition, won that mayoralty, which has never been in “chavista” hands. More…