Venezuela's Maduro wins landslide in election boycotted by opposition

Venezuelan President Maduro's party wins parliamentary and regional elections boycotted by opposition, sparking international concern.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s party on Sunday (May 26, 2025) swept the board in parliamentary and regional elections that were boycotted by the opposition in protest over his disputed re-election last year.

The United Socialist Party of Venezuela won 23 out of 24 state governor positions and scored 82.68% of the votes cast for lists of National Assembly members, the electoral council (CNE) said.

The constituency-level results of the parliamentary vote had yet to be tallied.

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The main opposition group, led by popular figurehead Maria Corina Machado, had urged voters to stay away to avoid legitimising what she described as a “farce” election.

AFP journalists who visited polling stations in several cities said turnout was much lower compared to the July 2024 presidential election.

The CNE put voter turnout at a little over 42% of Venezuela’s 21 million eligible voters.