Venezuela | Tense end to presidential campaign with large rallies

(Caracas) “With my Rooster Nico!”; “Caracas present! Edmundo president!”: the two favorites of Sunday’s presidential election in Venezuela, the incumbent Nicolas Maduro and Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, the opposition candidate leading the polls, closed the campaign on Thursday with large rallies in the capital, in a tense climate and fears of fraud or violence.

“The people in the streets saying ‘Victory, popular victory’!” said President Maduro, 61, who now calls himself “Gallo Pinto,” meaning a fighting cock.

“We have formed a new political, social and cultural majority that will be expressed by a resounding electoral majority on Sunday, July 28, because we have not only united Chavismo [doctrine de Hugo Chavez, président de 1999 à 2013 d’inspiration socialiste dont M. Maduro est le successeur]”We are all united without a single crack! One block of strength!” he added, during a show of force that brought together tens of thousands of activists.

The president also took up one of his leitmotifs of recent weeks, assuring that without him the country would plunge into chaos, summarizing the presidential election as a choice between “War or peace.”

In recent days, Mr Maduro had already spoken of “a fratricidal civil war provoked by the fascists” in the event of an opposition victory and predicted “a bloodbath” which has aroused concern in the international community.

“I was frightened by Maduro’s statements” who “must learn that when you win, you stay [au pouvoir]”When you lose, you leave,” said Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Chilean President Gabriel Boric said Thursday that he supported Lula because “there is no need to threaten bloodshed” and demanded “transparent, competitive elections subject to international observation.”

For his part, Mr. Gonzalez Urrutia ended his campaign with a rally in Las Mercedes, a wealthy neighborhood in southeast Caracas. The 74-year-old diplomat was accompanied, as usual, by the charismatic opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who had won the primary but was declared ineligible.

“We are victorious. It’s time to change Venezuela,” said Alan Berríos, 24, a motorcycle taxi driver and food delivery man who took part in the opposition caravan through Caracas.

“They can have with them the resources of the State, the control of the CNE [l’autorité électorale]the prosecutor’s office that applauds their abuses, but we have the love, support and enthusiasm of the vast majority of Venezuelans who want change in peace,” Gonzalez Urrutia said Thursday at a press conference with foreign correspondents.

” Brave ”

Panamanian President José Raul Mulino said on Thursday that the outcome of this election will determine the number of migrants who travel to the United States through his country through the Darien jungle, a migratory corridor used by 500,000 people in 2023, including “66% Venezuelans,” according to him.

In a country that is going through an endless economic crisis characterized by an 80% contraction of its GDP between 2014 and 2020 and four consecutive years of hyperinflation, some 7 million Venezuelans, almost a quarter of the population, have already gone into exile in search of a better life.

Mr Maduro has accused the opposition of preparing not to acknowledge defeat and of wanting to launch violent actions. He has also said that the armed forces, which he believes are loyal to him, could rise up against a possible opposition victory.

“Don’t let yourselves be frightened by the message of hate that they are using,” said Mr. Gonzalez Urrutia, calling for harmony: “We are not here to persecute anyone, we are not here to chase anyone away from their job.” […]you are all brave and you will show your courage on Sunday.”