Venezuela’s Election Isn’t in Doubt. How Maduro Responds to It Is

CARACAS, Venezuela—On nan last Sunday earlier Venezuela’s July 28 statesmanlike election, a ample crowd stands successful beforehand of nan religion successful Plaza Bolivar, successful nan bustling cardinal Caracas vicinity of Chacao. Despite nan belief quality of nan event, aliases possibly because of it, nan crowd is chanting a repeated one-word refrain: “Freedom.”

Standing earlier them are Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, nan opposition’s standard-bearer successful nan election, and Maria Corina Machado, nan primary-winning guidance campaigner for whom Gonzalez stood successful aft nan authorities banned her from running. Millions of Venezuelans person pinned their hopes connected nan activity duo to rescue them from complete a decade of authoritarian norm nether President Nicolas Maduro. As she addresses nan crowd, Machado emphasizes that this is much than an electoral fight. It is simply a belief battle.

When asked astir her expectations for Sunday, Zorayda Hernandez, a 59-year-oldwoman forced to activity aggregate jobs to make ends meet,pauses for a moment. She takes a heavy activity earlier softly saying, “I consciousness happiness and hope.” With hands clasped together, she raises them toward nan entity successful prayer. “He is nan 1 to decide,” she says, tears welling successful her eyes.