President Maduro Encourages Participation in Upcoming Venezuelan Elections
Photo: Presidential Press Office
May 19, 2025 Hour: 4:20 pm
Venezuelan President Maduro has called attention to the significance of Venezuela’s upcoming regional and legislative elections scheduled for May 25, 2025.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has called attention to the significance of Venezuela’s upcoming regional and legislative elections scheduled for May 25, 2025, while warning of thwarted terrorist plans targeting the electoral process.
As the nation prepares for a historic combined election, Maduro affirmed the government’s commitment to safeguarding the democratic exercise despite ongoing sabotage attempts and international pressures.
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During a meeting involving state security agencies, President Maduro criticized sabotage efforts aimed at interfering with the upcoming elections, rejecting attempts to silence and unsettle the voting process.
Maduro confirmed the capture of 38 mercenaries implicated in plots to sabotage the electoral process, with weapons, cell phones, and other materials confiscated.
Allegedly connected to an Albanian criminal organization based in Ecuador, working with Colombian drug syndicates, these agents were assigned to carry out bombing incidents within Venezuelan borders.
“The Albanian mafia that controls Ecuador sent trained mercenaries to plant bombs in Venezuela. They have been captured,” Maduro declared, highlighting the seizure of three key cell phones containing critical intelligence information on the operation.
Furthermore, he connected these security threats to U.S. interests in the region through the presence in Ecuador of Erik Prince, founder of the private military company Blackwater, suggesting foreign interference attempts.
Venezuela Prepares for a Landmark Election Day
Venezuela’s democratic history under the Bolivarian Revolution has seen its 32nd electoral cycle on May 25, featuring gubernatorial, regional legislative, and National Assembly elections within 26 years.
President Maduro emphasized the unprecedented nature of this electoral event, highlighting Venezuela’s robust democratic tradition.
This election cycle is set against a backdrop of political crisis and opposition boycotts. Several opposition leaders have rejected the legitimacy of the elections, describing them as neither free nor fair, and calling for voter abstention.
Nevertheless, the president pushed back against these calls, urging Venezuelans to vote peacefully and rejecting any attempt to suspend or delay the elections despite sanctions and external pressures.
Defying External Pressures and Media Censorship
Maduro criticized international media, particularly outlets based in the United States and Europe, for silencing Venezuela’s democratic continuity and manipulating information regarding the elections. He disclosed private conversations with Latin American leaders who suggested postponing elections due to U.S. sanctions, a proposal he firmly rejected.
“No one can take away the people’s right to vote, to participate, and to have their authorities,” Maduro stated emphatically.
His message to Venezuelans was clear: “Vote yes, no to violence. Vote yes, no to bullets.” He forecasted May 25 as a day marked by peace, stability, happiness, and high participation, underpinned by close coordination among popular, military, and police forces.
Venezuela’s Electoral Future Amidst Challenges
Venezuela is nearing a crucial election, with the government focusing on security and democratic stability, while watching disorganization among domestic opponents.
The interception of terrorist plots underlines the volatile environment surrounding the vote, while president Maduro’s insistence on moving forward reflects the government’s determination to consolidate power through electoral means.
The May 25 elections will test Venezuela’s democratic institutions again, amid continuing political tension and illegal sanctions by U.S.
The outcome and conduct of these elections will have profound implications for the region’s stability and the future of Venezuelan governance.
Author: Manuel F. Diaz
Source: teleSUR