Venezuela to Hold Presidential Election
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Venezuela is holding a presidential election, with ten candidates running for the top post.
Incumbent President Nicolas Maduro was nominated by the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) and supported by the alliance of parties and movements - Simon Bolivar Great Patriotic Pole, which includes the PSUV. The National Electoral Council registered Maduro as the candidate, TASS reported.
Most of the politicians running in the election represent moderate opposition.
Edmundo Gonzalez, candidate of the far-right parties that make up the Unitary Platform coalition, is Maduro’s main opponent. He is supported by Maria Corina Machado, who won the opposition-organized primary, but was previously deprived of her political rights and therefore cannot run for office.
According to the latest opinion polls, Maduro is the frontrunner. According to Hinterlaces, 54.2% of eligible voters are willing to cast their ballots for the current president, who is followed by Gonzalez with 21.1% and businessman Benjamin Rausseo with 5.8%. However, some companies, including Datanalisis, report that more than 50% of voters support Gonzalez.