Venezuela to Hold Commune Elections This Weekend
Saturday, August 24th 2024 – 10:42 UTC
Maduro also agreed with a bill whereby those who disregard court rulings in his favor cannot participate in electoral processes
The Venezuelan regime of President Nicolás Maduro is preparing for commune elections on Sunday following disputed presidential polls in July. Communes, based on self-management, are new forms of social organization with 4,500 nationwide. Maduro defends these elections as a model of participatory democracy unique to Venezuela, emphasizing Popular Power.
This upcoming election marks the second commune election ever, with consultations expected every three months. Communes, established in 2010, were described by Hugo Chávez as spaces for building 21st-century socialism. The process of radicalizing democracy through participatory mechanisms challenges the traditional elite profiting from oil.
The government is promoting a bill to prevent individuals from running in elections if they defy court decisions favoring Maduro. Opposition claims of victory by Edmundo González Urrutia persist, despite legal challenges. This weekend’s elections involve 4,500 communes and aim to strengthen the Bolivarian Revolution’s foundation.