Venezuela's opposition wins EU's prestigious human rights prize

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian and agencies

Venezuela’s opposition wins EU’s prestigious human rights prize

Staff and agencies in Caracas
Wednesday 13 December 2017 18.34 GMT

Venezuela’s opposition has won the EU’s prestigious Sakharav prize for human rights and urged the world to keep a close eye on an upcoming presidential election where it aspires to end two decades of socialist rule in the Opec nation.

Foes of Nicolás Maduro failed to dislodge him during months of street protests this year that turned violent killing more than 125 people, and have been dismayed to see him consolidate his power in recent months.

But they hope a presidential vote due in 2018 will galvanize exhausted and despondent supporters, and want foreign pressure for reforms to an election system they say is at the service of the Venezuelan president’s “dictatorship”.

“In the next few months, there should be a presidential election and we ask Europe and the free world to pay full attention,” said Julio Borges, head of the opposition-led National Assembly, as he received the prize.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/13/venezuelas-opposition-wins-eus-prestigious-human-rights-prize

[GatoGordo]

1. Congrats to the opposition, but they are currently in disarray.

"In the next few months, there should be a presidential election and we ask Europe and the free world to pay full attention"

Don't count on it. Maduro's plan is to call for early elections (possibly next month) in order to solidify his power. That he calls for them early is clearly unConstitutional, but that hasn't stopped his juggernaut. The ANC, TSJ and the CNE rubber stamp his every whim.

He is running out of money, hence time. Chavismo won't survive until next December. The well oiled voting fraud machine is warmed up and ready to go.