Latin America’s Shift Away From Leftist Rule Continues With Venezuela’s Historic Elections

Maduro remains president for now. But the fact that MUD won a majority of votes gives the opposition the opportunity to gain votes for a referendum on Maduro’s presidency, replace the vice president and ministers, or at the very least, block PSUV legislation. The MUD is also expected to pass an amnesty law to release political prisoners, who once freed would be able to run for office. If the opposition garners a supermajority in the parliament, 111 out of 167 seats, they can then also replace judges and prosecutors, posing an even larger threat to Maduro's leftist rule. Their victory is part of a larger shift toward center-right politics in Latin America, as Argentina’s neoliberal candidate Mauricio Macri won the presidency there last month. More..