With absent opposition, Maduro’s party wins legislative elections in Venezuela
Did the election, denounced by Georgetown, not occur in Táquibo? Territory administered by Guyana?, but in a microcircunscretion created especially by Caracas on the Guianense border.
A governor, eight deputies and regional counselors were elected. The position of governor, won by Neil Villamizar, is symbolic, since Essequibo and his 160,000 km² are administered by Guyana. There was no voting place on the Guianense side.
“Today, Essequibo has a governor, Admiral (Neil) Villamizar. And this admiral, governor -elect, will receive all the support for his mission, because the people of Essequibo have struggled to have all the rights as the people of Venezuela,” said Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to his supporters in Caracas on Sunday night.
The vote for Essequibo, which featured 21,403 voters registered on the Venezuelan side, is another step towards “full sovereignty” over the territory, celebrated Villamize before the disclosure of the results. The participation was 31.58%, and Villamizar obtained 4,720 votes, or 97.40% of the valid votes.
He becomes the first governor of the 24th Venezuelan state, Guayana Esequiba, created in 2024 by the authorities of Caracas, but located in Guianense territory. He will have no power over the region. “We are focused on this mission: to obtain by peaceful way the recovery of the full sovereignty of Guayana Esequiba, in peace, with harmony, practicing diplomacy,” said Villamizar.
Among his promises to the inhabitants of Essequibo are the issuance of Venezuelan identity documents and access to health and education services.
