Analysis | Maduro “is not taking off” for reelection

Douglas Abreu / CNP 21627

@douglasabreub

The month of June ends with the simulation process – this Sunday, the 30th – established in the electoral schedule that governs the presidential elections scheduled for next July 28. In general terms, the polarization between the candidates of the ruling party and the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD) continues.

Just as voting intentions – according to all opinion polls by serious and reliable pollsters – continue to favor Edmundo González Urrutia over Nicolás Maduro with a considerable advantage, which according to the professor and political consultant at UCAB, Benigno Alarcón, reaches three million votes.

Benigno Alarcon

Balance achievements and failures

Taking a brief look at what happened during the month of June, using the above-mentioned opinion polls as a basis and reference, it is clear that the ruling party has completely failed, while the opposite is true for Unidad and Alternativa Democrática, which gave it the first option.

Everything designed and used by the Officials to increase popular support and voting intention has been insufficient. It is evident that the strategies have not been effective, especially when they appeal – as has been seen in these 30 days – to imitate testimonies and expressions of confidence and support from people in the street activities led by MCM.

It is clear that they are making fools of themselves by trying to prevent MCM from carrying out its proselytizing activities.

But also, what has been done to prevent the leader of the Opposition from carrying out her proselytizing activities, particularly, mass events in states and municipalities, sanctioning hotels, restaurants and guaraperas, confiscating sound equipment, arresting activists.

Obstructing their free movement by air, land and sea, simulating work on stretches of road to the point of damaging the asphalt; cutting down trees – as happened in the state of Táchira – to block the passage of vehicles and pedestrians, mobile roadblocks of the GNB and PNB, whose officials, far from generating fear, “feel that they would be making fools of themselves.”

Rhetoric, dancing, scolding and more promises

When a candidate for re-election has gone so far as to have to dance to get the attention of his supporters, it is clear evidence that his message has been exhausted, that he lacks the power to attract people to street events, in addition to the lack of enthusiasm and repentant faces of the few people who attend, mostly out of obligation.

Added to this string of failures are the demagogic warnings to officials – with public scoldings included – ordering them to immediately solve problems that the government has ignored for years, as happened in Mérida state with the governor and the president of PDVSA, and to finish with a mocking flourish announcing previously offered works.

There could not be missing the anti-imperialist rhetoric and its lackeys who are against the elections; the conspiratorial plans of the fascist right; now they have invented the “surnames”, the sabotage of the National Electric System, and everything else that has occurred to them and will continue to occur while they are in this state of desperation.

Accept and understand

Both the ruling party and its candidate for re-election must accept that in the political-electoral field there are negative aspects and elements that are impossible to counteract, minimize, overthrow or overcome, and even less so with “corny” strategies like the current ones, and failed ones like the previous ones.

They must understand and accept once and for all that the aspects that in previous electoral processes played in their favor to win, such as abstention, have been defeated on this occasion by citizen protagonism; the division in the opposition over the leadership of MCM, the main enemy of Nicolás Maduro’s reelection being his poor management rejected by 90% of Venezuelans.

Maduro “is not taking off”

In conclusion, Nicolás Maduro has not managed to take off at the end of June. His “surprise” visits to states and municipalities – including those of Diosdado Cabello, Jorge and Delcy Rodríguez – have been a total failure for the majority of public opinion, due to their squalid nature, and serve as proof of what the polls, the streets and what will happen on July 28th reflect.