In Venezuela, Elections Are the Lesser of Two Evils

It may be no coincidence that the electoral date came relatively soon after the clear opening of tentative negotiations between the United States and Venezuela on the re-establishment of diplomatic relations. In the last three months, the U.S. State Department sent an emissary to meet Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro twice in Caracas and Venezuela National Assembly Speaker Diosdado Cabello in Haiti. But the U.S. decision on whether to grant Caracas' request for re-establishing diplomatic ties appears to be conditional on Venezuela's freeing political prisoners and setting a date for legislative elections. However, the United States is not dealing with a single Venezuelan political entity. As the Venezuelan political structures and order created during Hugo Chavez's 13-year rule begin to unravel under the stress of a major economic crisis, the institutions and individuals held together in that system are now trying to secure their stakes in the future Venezuela. More…