CIVICUS discusses Venezuela’s legislative and regional elections and the consolidation of its authoritarian regime with Rafael Uzcátegui, a human rights defender, sociologist and co-director of Laboratorio de Paz, a Venezuelan civil society organisation working for democracy, human rights and civil society strengthening.
The 25 May elections, held earlier than scheduled, took place in a deeply deteriorated political context following last year’s fraudulent presidential election. After refusing to recognise the opposition’s overwhelming victory, Nicolás Maduro’s government unleashed a crackdown, using tactics that the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has described as state terrorism. For the regime, these latest elections represented a crucial opportunity to project legitimacy and assess its ability to mobilise supporters ahead of planned constitutional changes to further consolidate its power.
