The opposition once again prevails in the land of the deceased commander after the dictatorship forced him to repeat the elections after his defeat in November
After two decades of domination by Chavismo, the Venezuelan State of Barinas rose up to severely defeat the Government of Nicolás Maduro for the second time in less than a month. Sergio Garrido, candidate for the Democratic Unity Table (MUD), received the support of 172,497 voters (55.36%). The candidate of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), Jorge Arreaza, added 128,583 votes (41.27%). In the November 21 elections, which the Maduro regime contested and forced to repeat last Sunday, the candidate also opposed to the regime Freddy Superlano had beaten Argenis Chávez, brother of the former commander, by a difference of 130 votes; on Sunday, Garrido won 49,000 more votes than Arreaza, a former president of Hugo Chávez.
The inhabitants of Barinas, capital of the state that bears the same name, say that in times of rain the barinada usually blows, very strong winds. Last Sunday the Barinese wind did not blow. It was a hurricane that passed through a part of Venezuela battered by the dictatorship. A part of Venezuela that prepared these elections with shouts of “Barinas is respected” or “Barinas is not afraid”, and that on Sunday went to bed launching a call to the other towns: “If Barinas could, Venezuela can” and “Barinas will I raise”. The slogan of the electoral campaign used by Garrido was guided by the desire to rescue freedom and democracy.
Sergio Garrido puts an end to two decades of rule by the revolutionary leader’s family
“They took away the land of the commander,” was at the same time the phrase most propagated on social networks by those faithful to Chavismo.
Painful defeat
It has been a painful defeat for the regime that controls the majority of governorates (19), but with Barinas not only loses one state -the fourth after Zulia, Cojedes and Nova Esparta-, but also suffers a moral defeat. Barinas had been a forbidden territory for any political force that did not bear the Chávez surname.
The commander ruled between 1998 and 2008, his brother Adán did it between 2008 and 2016, and Argenis was from 2017 to 2021. After losing in the past elections, the son of the deceased revolutionary resigned to appear in Sunday’s elections. Nicolás Maduro appointed Arreaza, at the same time that he disqualified Freddy Superlano and three other leaders from holding public office. The maneuver of the Chavista leader did not bear the desired results. For some, the victory of the Democratic Unity Table, of the opponents of the regime, may be classified as symbolic, but losing twice is still a humiliation for the PSUV, the Maduro government and the revolution itself.
The explanation for the change that has occurred in Barinas for some analysts is due to the fact that for several years the people felt mistreated and had stopped believing in the Chávez. The indignation grew day by day as they saw how the houses and plots went to friends, families and the military.
Guaidó believes that it constitutes “a lesson to the dictatorship”
Juan Guaidó, leader of the opposition to Maduro and considered president of Venezuela for more than 50 countries, was among the first to react to the change of scenery that took place in Barinas: “He has taught a lesson, especially to the dictatorship. A lesson in endurance, unity, courage and humility. This situation should serve to face the challenges that come and face together the electoral event to get out of the dictatorship, “he wrote on his twitter account.
Nicolás Maduro, for his part, dedicated the day to remember that three years ago he presented the oath to lead the Government of Venezuela, and that fifteen years ago Commander Hugo Chávez had done so.
More than two decades later, Sergio Garrido replaced him (Barinas, 1967). He began his political career at the age of 16. He was a parish, municipal and regional youth secretary. He also belonged to the defunct Legislative Assembly and resigned to run for mayor in the November 21 elections.
.
#State #Barinas #cradle #Chavismo #opens #crack #Maduro #regime