Maduro announces ‘major elections’ in 2025 during ALBA meeting

Nearly a month after the results of Venezuela’s presidential election were announced, and he declared himself for a third term, Nicolás Maduro has said that “major elections” will be held in 2025, which should include legislative, regional and local elections.

The Venezuelan president made the statement during a virtual meeting of ALBA, the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Latin America.

“And in 2025 there will be major elections, because the National Assembly and its deputies and representatives must be elected, and the governors of the 23 states must be elected, and the 335 city councils must be elected, and the 23 legislative councils must be elected, and the 335 municipal councils must be elected.” He must be elected.

Maduro concluded by saying that these huge elections should take place within 12 months at the most, and that they are preparing to find out how the method will be and who the candidates will be.

At the same ALBA meeting, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega criticized President Lula and Colombian President Gustavo Petro for not recognizing the official results of the elections in Venezuela. Since the official announcement, at the end of last month, Brazil and Colombia have been part of the group of countries that have requested the public and transparent disclosure of electoral records.

Article 125 of Venezuela’s electoral law states that the National Electoral Council has until Wednesday to publish the official results in the electoral journal. The electoral body announced Monday that it had suffered a new cyberattack on the publishing centers where the official website is hosted. However, the National Electoral Commission said it would abide by the Supreme Court’s ruling and commit to publishing within the legal deadline.

The United Socialist Party of Venezuela has called for a march next Wednesday to mark the one-month anniversary of Maduro’s victory. The opposition has also called for a demonstration in Caracas on the same day.

Venezuelan opposition figure Edmundo Gonzalez was summoned to a hearing Tuesday before the Venezuelan public ministry. He is the target of a criminal investigation after being convicted of fraud in the July 28 presidential election.