Venezuela currently has a population of approximately 29.4 million people, of which 21.4 million are theoretically eligible to vote in the presidential elections on July 28. However, due to the various requirements imposed by the Nicolás Maduro administration for voter registration abroad, only 69,211 Venezuelans abroad are eligible to vote, down from 110,000 in the previous elections.
This figure represents a small fraction of the approximately eight million Venezuelans who, according to data from the United Nations (UN), have emigrated, a figure that Maduro lowers to two million.
And even if there were no obstacles, not all Venezuelans abroad would be able to vote because many of them are minors and others, mainly those who emigrated many years ago, have no interest in these elections.
Of the eight million Venezuelans living outside their country, around five million are of legal age and should be able to vote in the elections, but only 69,000 are eligible to do so.
Colombia, nearly three million displaced
Nearly three million Venezuelans currently live in Colombia, making it the country that has welcomed the most citizens of that nationality. Migration has its origins in a search for better horizons due to the political, social and economic crisis in Venezuela.
According to the Interagency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), there are 2.9 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Colombia, which places this country as the regional epicenter of the Venezuelan exodus.
Spain, the European country with the most Venezuelans
Spain is the European country that welcomes the most Venezuelan migrants, including many opposition leaders who have left Venezuela in recent years.
Among them are Dinorah Figuera, Antonio Ledezma, Diego Arria and Leopoldo López, who are part of the Spanish campaign command of María Corina Machado.
These opponents have worked in favour of the candidacy of Edmundo González Urrutia and are confident of defeating Maduro at the polls.
However, they fear that Maduro will not accept the results or manipulate them, since they consider his regime to be one that resorts to cheating and fraud.
In Peru only 589 will be able to vote
There are around 1.5 million Venezuelans living in Peru, of which around 900,000 are of voting age. However, according to figures from the National Electoral Council (CNE), only 589 are eligible to vote.
Most have been unable to register due to obstacles imposed by the authorities, which require permanent residency, a valid passport and an identity card.
On July 28, the Venezuelan Consulate in Buenos Aires will open its doors for voting in a day that will include a migrant fair and the reception of Argentine leaders who collaborated in the search for freedom in Venezuela.
Elisa Trotta, a human rights activist, explains that the accompaniment seeks to support Venezuelan voters in Argentina.
In Argentina, 2,638 Venezuelans will vote, a small number compared to the nearly 250,000 Venezuelan residents in the country.
Trotta says that this vote has a special symbolism and that those eligible will do so to express their desire for political change.
#Millions #Venezuelans #vote
2024-09-26 01:34:58
