As Venezuela’s official presidential campaign season came to a close, rival demonstrations in the capital highlighted the stark differences between President Nicolás Maduro and opposition leaders. Maduro, seeking a third term, rallied tens of thousands of supporters with dynamic speeches and music, while opposition figures Edmundo González Urrutia and Maria Corina Machado struggled to gather a smaller following due to funding issues and government interference.
Maduro portrayed himself as a man of peace despite previous warnings of post-election violence, while the opposition focused on unity around candidate González amidst party divisions. State media bias towards Maduro’s campaign highlighted the challenges faced in the upcoming election, which is expected to be a tough test for the ruling party amid deep economic and political crises.