In total, 2,806 positions are being contested — 335 mayors and 2,471 council members — along with 5,336 development projects.

Voting centers began opening Sunday across Venezuela for elections to choose 335 mayors and members of legislative councils, as well as for a national referendum that includes 37,080 youth-oriented projects.

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Starting at 6 a.m. local time, voters began arriving at schools in Caracas. Polling stations will remain open until 6 p.m., though that schedule could be extended as long as voters remain in line, according to the National Electoral Council (CNE).

One of the first political figures to cast her vote was Carmen Melendez, mayor of Caracas’ Libertador municipality, who said Venezuelans are “writing pages of history” on this day.

“We are building our homeland, exercising sovereignty, and practicing pure, participatory, leading, and direct democracy. In Venezuela, democracy is in the air. Peace and tranquility reign in Caracas,” she said.

The elections come nearly a month after the May 25 regional and legislative contests, in which the United Socialist Party of Venezuela and the Chavista movement won 23 of the 24 governorships, including the state of Guayana Esequiba. Local authorities will not be elected in this new state during Sunday’s vote.

In total, 2,806 positions are being contested on Sunday — 335 mayors and 2,471 council members — along with 5,336 youth development projects.

A total of 15,731 voting centers have been set up, with 20,410 voting tables assigned for the local elections and 15,937 for the national popular referendum. This is the first national consultation aimed specifically at youth and the third of its kind this year, following similar events on Feb. 2 and April 27.

Additionally, around 1,400 national and international observers are monitoring the process. Authorities announced a 48-hour closure of the country’s land border crossings with Colombia and Brazil and launched a logistical and security operation for transporting and safeguarding election materials, known as Operation Republic.

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

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