For the first time, citizens in this Bolivarian territory elect their governor and legislators.

On Sunday, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez expressed satisfaction with how the regional and legislative elections were unfolding in the state of Guayana Esequiba.

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For the first time, approximately 21,403 registered voters in Guayana Esequiba are electing a governor, seven members of the Legislative Council, and eight representatives to the National Assembly. To facilitate the process, the National Electoral Council established 12 voting centers in the Dalla Costa and San Isidro parishes of the Sifontes municipality in Bolivar state.

After casting his vote, Padrino Lopez spoke to the press and addressed threats made by Guyanese President Irfaan Ali concerning the elections in this Venezuelan state.

“We are not bringing out rifles, but rather the popular vote so the people can express themselves Everything is unfolding in perfect peace and harmony. Everything is going well,” the Bolivarian minister said, emphasizing that democracy is a system that guarantees rights for the entire population.

“Democracy is not only about voting, but also about participating. Democracy represents many things: strong institutions, political awareness among the people, political participation, and the exchange of ideas. Democracy is a system that provides guarantees for everyone. It embodies the will of the majority but also guarantees minorities their right to participate,” he said and praised the work of Venezuelan security forces during Operation Republic, which aims to maintain peace at polling centers.

“I feel immensely happy to be able to move safely through the streets of Caracas and across Venezuela to reach a polling station. This is possible thanks to the level of organization deployed by the National Electoral Council and the personnel involved in Operation Republic,” Padrino Lopez said.

Currently, five candidates are running for the governorship of Guayana Esequiba: Adm. Neil Villamizar, representing organizations aligned with the Bolivarian Revolution; Julio Cesar Pineda, backed by the Ecological Movement; attorney Alexis Duarte, the candidate for A New Time and Union and Change (UNICA); sociologist Hector Milano, sponsored by the Democratic Action party; and Armando Cumare, supported by the Arepa Movement.

teleSUR/ JF

Source: VTV – teleSUR

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