Thread by @caracaswire

On November 3rd, campaigning began for Venezuela’s approaching National Assembly elections, set to occur December 6th (D6). This week, Caracas Wire will explore the upcoming vote, beginning with the conditions in which it will occur. 1/10

This December, #Maduro seeks to regain control of the National Assembly, the only branch of government held by the opposition. Though the body was rendered totally powerless in 2017, it remains a source of legitimacy for the opposition. 2/10

To this end, Maduro has taken several steps to ensure victory in December. In June 2020, the Maduro-loyalist Supreme Court nominated regime supporters to the National Electoral Council (CNE), the body which will supervise the unfree election. 3/10
cnnespanol.cnn.com/2020/06/13/ale…

In July, the Supreme Court removed the leadership of several opposition parties, including that of Juan Guaidó, and installed regime-approved appointees in their place. 4/10
hrw.org/news/2020/07/0…

Also in July, Venezuelan authorities announced that the unfree election would fill 277 seats, an increase of over 100 from the previous 167 seats. This step, in combination with the takeover of opposition parties, demonstrates how Maduro plans to pack the body. 5/10

The election’s undemocratic conditions have drawn wide criticism. In October, the OAS declared them fraudulent and the Venezuelan bishops’ conference characterized them as “immoral.” 6/10
ge.usembassy.gov/oas-elections-…

Vote-monitoring group Súmate has drawn attention to the CNE’s unconsulted & unexplained changes to at least 199 voting locations in October, an old trick sure to create confusion on Dec 6. 7/10
efectococuyo.com/politica/persi…

The non-profit organization @_CEPAZ has linked the vote to an escalating pattern of repression, citing over 12 cases of violence, arrests, house searches, & other offenses committed against opposition figures in the parliamentary electoral context. 8/10
cepaz.org/articulos/a-po…

Amid this widespread doubt, Maduro sent a letter to #EU officials in October, inviting them to attend on D6 in an effort to manufacture legitimacy. Officials replied it was too late for such an action and encouraged a delay, a step Maduro has refused. 9/10 reuters.com/article/us-ven…

Given all these serious flaws, it makes sense that the Harvard Project on Election Integrity, which evaluates countries' national election conditions, gave Venezuela a 41/100 in their 2019 report. Only 3 countries in the region fell below this score. 10/10
dropbox.com/s/csp1048mkwbr…