Polling centers open for Venezuela’s presidential election

Electoral centers of the Venezuela This Sunday, after 06:00 local time (10:00 GMT), it began opening its doors and welcoming voters to attend. presidential electiona day on which they are called to vote Over 21 million people,

In a completely digitised polling process, total Ten Candidates will appear in the election machine, including the current president, Nicolás MaduroWho seeks a third consecutive six-year term in power.

Other than this Chavista leaderFormer ambassadors also participate in these elections Edmundo González UrrutiaThe standard-bearers of the main opposition coalition, the Democratic Unitary Platform (Shaft), which have decided to run together in presidential elections for the first time since 2013, when Maduro came to power.

Likewise, evangelical pastors are presented Javier Bertuccicomedian Benjamin RousseauFormer mayors Daniel Ceballos And Claudio FerminFormer councilor Antonio AcquariRepresentative Luis Eduardo Martinez And Jose Brito and former Elections Director Enrique MarquezClosest to the majority anti-Chavismo.

As established by the National Electoral Council (CNE), many of the 15,767 centres enabled for the process opened on time, while the first report from election officials was awaited to know how many centres were open. Initial Percentage Achievedas well as the first events.

The rules establish that Over 30,000 polling stations They will remain open uninterrupted for 12 hours and will remain operational as long as voters are in the queue.

Through social networks, Venezuelans have reported long queues outside polling stations In many areas in the country’s interior, some of them voters were queuing up to register since Saturday night.

To ensure the security of the process, more than 388,000 members of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (Fanub) and various security forces State They are deployed in the country to maintain a temporary “closure” of land access with neighbouring countries “to the movement of people across the border as well as to vehicular traffic”. Colombia And brazil,

Venezuelans living in Spain also vote

For its part, in Spain The 46 polling stations enabled by the Venezuelan authorities in the country opened normally this Sunday Five CitiesWhere? 24,770 voters He can take part in the presidential election.

Venezuelans are the most registered voters in the Electoral College MadridUnder the scorching sun that beats down on the Spanish capital, dozens of citizens gathered hours before the polling headquarters to be the first to open their doors and avoid possible queues.

There are no queues in front of the Fernando de los Ríos Cultural Center, enabled by Venezuelan authorities in Madrid to host the vote, and voters are entering in an orderly manner and casting their votes without any problems.

Besides, Hundreds of people gathered In the immediate vicinity, there were volunteers, observers, representatives of the opposition living in Spain, and voters who, once they had exercised their right to vote, stayed in the area with family and friends. Festive atmosphere,

There have been in the Madrid Electoral College musicPeople with Venezuelan flags said The cry for “freedom” And volunteers are handing out water and providing information.

“I came with my whole family though. only i can vote“, he told Efe Josea Venezuelan citizen who has Spanish nationality and was able to register in the elections without any problems. Four of his family members, who accompanied him despite legally residing in Spain, they couldn’t vote,

of more than 400,000 people Of those born in Venezuela and of legal age living in Spain, only 24,770 were able to register. This is a very low figure, although it represents a third of all Venezuelans authorized to vote abroad In other Latin American countries which welcomes more Venezuelan migration than Spain There were even bigger problems To register.

“Today is a historic day” one voter told Efe, who reported that “it is probably last chance for change“. “It’s all very emotional. I’m very excited. If everything goes well, soon all Venezuelans will be able to meet, those who are inside and those of us who are outside,” he declared.

He also joined the Madrid Electoral Complex. opposition leader In form of Antonio Ledezma, former mayor of Caracaswho are confident that González Urrutia’s candidacy will win the election and have called on Venezuelan authorities and the military who respects the mandate of the elections,