The tallies aren’t official yet, and the governing system gives the president, Nicolas Maduro, a heavy hand.
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Henrique Capriles said the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) bloc achieved the critical two-thirds majority in Sunday’s election, the BBC reported.
The victory, which was framed by the country’s deep economic crisis, was a huge setback to the heirs of former president Hugo Chávez and his socialist-inspired movement.
“That is not our priority”, said MUD leader Jesus Torrealba. And some have already floated the idea that outgoing lawmakers will pass a law granting Maduro special decree powers to ride roughshod over the new congress, which won’t be sworn in until January.
Hyperinflation and day-long cues for necessities, spurred by the crash of the global oil market, prompted three-quarters of Venezuelans to cue in the sun to register their anger at the management of the country. The results of 22 seats have yet to be announced, the opposition expects to grow their majority from 99 to at least 112 once those remaining results are declared. The opposition can now exercise control over the budget, begin investigations that could embarrass the government, and fire ministers.
Maduro, who spoke on state television after the numbers were released, acknowledged what he said should be a “wake up call”. Mr. Chavez and then Mr. Maduro both had the bad habit of trying to blame the United States for all of Venezuela’s problems. The country has the world’s largest petroleum reserves, but inflation had reached 200 percent and the supermarket shelves were, in effect, empty. His quick acceptance of the results eased tensions in the volatile nation where the last presidential election in 2013, narrowly won by Maduro, was bitterly disputed and anti-government protests had led to 43 deaths.
Venezuelans took to social media to show they voted.
“I can’t see this government finishing its term because it is too weak”, said opposition leader Henry Ramos, touted as a possible leader for the new assembly. “Internal frictions are beginning”.
So Venezuelan voters have punished the Socialists, who presided over the country’s economic malaise. Nothing about the price controls and production quotas.
Venezuela depends on crude oil for 96 per cent of its export revenue.
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro holds up his electronic voting receipt before placing it in a box during congressional elections in Caracas, Venezuela, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015. “I’m not hugely surprised”.
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Even if Maduro is removed next year, that still leaves the opposition party with a lot of work to do in fixing the economy, work it may not be equipped for.
