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A Rigged Election Could Trigger Turmoil in Venezuela | Instituto Affari Internazionali
Source: Instituto Affari Internazionali | 13 July 2024
Venezuela is approaching one of its most consequential elections. On 28 July, the incumbent President Nicolás Maduro will seek a third consecutive six-year term.[1] Even though he has struck an agreement with the opposition in which both parties commit to creating the conditions for a competitive election, known as the ‘Barbados Agreement’,[2] many observers doubt that Maduro would allow for a relatively free and fair contest, given that polls do not give him the slightest chance of winning.[3] But what will happen if he actually opts to go down the path of an evidently rigged vote? If the past is any indication, the answer is probably a lot of demonstrations, both peaceful and violent, alongside renewed international isolation that would undermine recent diplomatic openings in the region.[4]
