Venezuelan Parties Close Campaigns in Peace and Tolerance

On Thursday, political organizations closed their campaigns before the subnational elections to be held on November 21. Both supporters of the Bolivarian Revolution and opposition parties called on citizens to participate in the elections. This call was made in dozens of political events that took place in peace and tolerance as both sides shared public spaces in Caracas and other large cities.

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Currently, around 70,000 candidates are competing for 23 governorships, 335 town halls, 253 sits in state legislatures, and 2,471 city councils. These candidates were nominated by 80 political organizations that have formed three major alliances: the Great Patriotic Pole (GPP), the Group of Four (G4), and the People’s Revolutionary Alternative (APR). Their latest election events are summarized below.

The Great Patriotic Pole

This allianVice President Delcy Rodriguez assured that the upcoming elections will give a "democratic lesson so that the world's empires learn to respect Venezuela."ce supports President Nicolas Maduro and the legacy of Commander Hugo Chavez. It is made up of organizations such as the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), the Homeland for All (PPT), Tupamaro, People's Electoral Movement (MEP), Alliance for Change (APC), Venezuelan Popular Unity (UPV), Organization for Authentic Renewal (ORA), and "We Are Venezuela" (SV).

In an event organized by the Socialists in the Miranda state, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez assured that the upcoming elections will give a "democratic lesson so that the world's empires learn to respect Venezuela."

The National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez expressed his confidence in the GPP victory because "the hardest hour is over and they could not beat us. The most serious attacks were infringed and they could not bend us. We resisted, we beat them, we defeated them."

The Miranda governor candidate Hector Rodriguez, who is seeking his reelection in the state where Caracas is located, promised the revolutionary forces will have "the greatest victory" of the last 20 years and assured he will not "waste time in small disputes", alluding to the conflicts between the opposition candidates Carlos Ocariz and David Uzcategui.

The Group of Four

This opposition alliance includes parties such as Democratic Action (AD), A New Time (UNT), First Justice (PJ), Popular Will (VP), and Progressive Movement of Venezuela (MPV), all of which use the "Democratic Unity Bureau" card for the ballot papers.

In the Chacao municipality, a traditional stronghold of the Venezuelan opposition, Mayor Gustavo Duque asked citizens to turn out en masse to vote and support him in his re-election. This call was unprecedented because opposition parties have been calling for electoral abstention for the last five years. On this occasion, however, they have campaigned to win public office and expand their areas of political influence.

"We are closing the electoral campaign in Chacao with great pride, surrounded by thousands of neighbors... Putting the human being first has generated this support for us," Duque said, adding that his party came to "shake up Venezuelan politics in a positive way." Candidate Tomas Guanipa closed his campaign stating that Caracas shows a willingness to change because "the people want to regain their right to decide who is, and who is not, in power."

The People’s Revolutionary Alternative

This Alliance comprises candidates from the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV), We Are Lina (SL), Left United (IU), Revolutionary Labor Party (RLP), and Popular Political Unity (UPP89). Like its contenders, the APR also called for citizen participation in Sunday's elections.

From Carabobo city, the Mayoral candidate Hector Diaz recalled that the PCV politicians will carry out an honest, democratic, and transparent government, which will work to accelerate the country’s productive development.