Sweeping victory for Venezuela's ruling party in elections boycotted by opposition

The opposition urged voters to boycott last weekend's regional and parliamentary elections in protest against President Nicolas Maduro's disputed re-election last year.

Venezuela's ruling party retained its significant majority in Sunday's regional and parliamentary elections, which were largely boycotted by opposition groups protesting the government of President Nicolás Maduro and his contested re-election last year. Maduro's United Socialist Party of Venezuela won nearly 83% of the vote, according to the National Electoral Council (CNE), which is widely seen as loyal to the ruling party. They also reportedly secured 23 of 24 state governorships. The political opposition, led by figurehead María Corina Machado, had urged voters to boycott the election, calling it a "farce" designed to legitimise authoritarian rule. Maduro dismissed the boycott. "What did they win? They lost everything," he said regarding previous opposition boycotts. "They - the ones running that campaign - are nothing, and Venezuela continues its course."Electoral authorities reported a turnout of 42.66% among the country's 21.4 million registered voters, which would indicate approximately 9.12 million ballots cast. Protests against MaduroJust two days before the vote, the government arrested at least 70 people it claimed were involved in a plot to obstruct the election. Among those arrested was former National Assembly Vice President and opposition leader, Juan Pablo Guanipa. This was the first nationwide vote with broad voter eligibility since Maduro declared victory in the 2024 presidential election, a result widely questioned by international observers and many Venezuelans.A nationwide poll conducted between 29 April-4 May by the Venezuela-based firm Delphos found that only 15.9% of voters had expressed a strong likelihood of participating in the regional elections. Among those who said they would vote, 74.2% supported Maduro's party and its allies, while just 13.8% favoured two opposition candidates who chose not to boycott. More than 2,000 people, including protesters, election workers, and political activists, have been arrested since Maduro's disputed re-election, according to human rights groups.