With the traditional reveille, Venezuela Sunday began the parliamentary elections to form the new National Assembly in a process in which 14,000 candidates and over 100 political parties are taking part.
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"Election Day is advancing with absolute normality. The 30,000 tables enabled nationwide will operate until 18h00 local time or until the last person in line votes," TeleSUR correspondent in Venezuela Leonel Retamal tweeted.
These elections are unprecedented in the country as they are being held amid a pandemic. The National Electoral Council (CNE) and the Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB) are enforcing strict health measures to prevent contagion in the 14,221 habilitated polling stations.
This Sunday, over 20 million citizens are called to the polls to elect 144 lawmakers by the proportional system and 133 congressmen by the nominal system.
"Caracas dawned early, with emotion and commitment to win. It is a very important day. The time has come to elect a new parliament that will work for our Homeland," Bolivarian Liberator municipality's Mayor Erika Farias said.
The National Assembly's renewal is part of the agreements reached by the dialogue table installed in September 2019 between Venezuela's government and several opposition parties.
"The CNE has the technical operational, technological, and bio-sanitary conditions to carry out this democratic celebration. It guarantees all electoral processes with unrestricted respect for the law and the will expressed in the results," CNE President Indira Alfonzo assured.
Venezuela's Vice President Delcy Rodriguez was one of the first authorities in the country to go to the polls to vote.
"Europe pretended to give orders so that the election would not take place, but only the Venezuelan people give us orders," she recalled, alluding to the European Union's request for Venezuela to delay the parliamentary elections by six months.