Hundreds of Venezuelans living in Bogotá went to the polling station set up in the Colombian capital for the presidential elections in their country on Sunday in a festive atmosphere and without worrying about the rain, hoping for a change of government.
“We hope that the law is complied with, that the mandate of the citizens is complied with and that democracy is complied with,” Álvaro Carranque, one of the first Venezuelans to cast his vote in Bogotá, told EFE with emotion.
Carranque, who arrived in Colombia from Venezuela 14 years ago and went to vote with his wife and son, held back tears as he recounted how he fled his country and his hope of returning after Sunday’s elections, confident of the opposition’s victory at the polls.
More than 200 Venezuelans out of the 4,369 who are registered to vote in the Colombian capital voted in the early hours of the morning, according to figures provided by the leaders of the Vente Venezuela platform, Colombia chapter.
Amidst flags, caps and horns in the colours of the Venezuelan flag, dozens of people arrived at the doors of the school, which the press was not allowed to access. Although they were unable to register to vote, they accompanied those who could.
Opportunity for reconciliation
In Colombia, Venezuelans will vote this Sunday at the consulates in Bogotá, Barranquilla, Medellín, Cartagena, Cúcuta and Riohacha. Only 7,012 Venezuelans are accredited to vote, in a country where 2.8 million Venezuelan citizens reside.
“We are approaching these elections as a reconciliation process. We invite everyone to participate and to reconcile, to build that Venezuela,” Mariluz Palma, head of the campaign command of Vente Venezuela, Colombia chapter, told reporters.
Palma added that, for the moment, there have been no incidents in Colombian territory in the context of the elections and concluded: “I know that today, July 28, the new independence of Venezuela will be celebrated.”
Various personalities from the world of entertainment and Colombian politics have expressed their support for the people of Venezuela in this Sunday’s elections and their hope that they will achieve an opposition victory at the polls.
“Venezuela, you have the key to my heart and I only hope that we all meet again. Things have to change, I’m with you,” wrote Colombian singer Carlos Vives on his X account, where he also shared a video message with images of his concerts in the neighboring country in which he said that it is “a very important day to spread our wings again.”
Bogotá Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán also spoke out, saying: “We have been waiting for years for a change and today, finally, the door to that change has opened. Strength, Venezuela. May the true will of the people be expressed today and the Maduro regime be defeated at the polls.”
Several Colombian politicians, including former Vice President Marta Lucía Ramírez, Green Party senator Angélica Lozano and former Bogotá Mayor Claudia López, have denounced in recent days that they were prevented from entering Venezuela to participate as observers in the elections.
A group of former Latin American presidents were also denied entry, as their plane was unable to take off from Panama.
Ten candidates are running in Sunday’s elections, including President Nicolás Maduro and former ambassador Edmundo González Urrutia, the candidate of the opposition coalition Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD) and who is leading in voting intentions according to traditional pollsters.
Colombia / EFE
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2024-07-28 19:56:36