President Nicolás Maduro speaking at the 8 RaĂces de Mecedores Commune on October 20, 2025. Photo: Instagram/@partidopsuvsucreccs.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro Moros announced the fourth National Popular Consultation will be held Sunday, Nov. 23. The president urged citizens to prepare and nominate the projects they wish to implement in their communities, describing the process as “direct democracy—the people, in general elections, choosing two projects.”
In this regard, the president emphatically called on “all residents to vote on their grassroots community projects to further strengthen direct democracy.” The initiative seeks to deepen citizen participation in decisions related to local development, giving communities a central role in identifying and prioritizing their needs.
He added that Venezuela holds four communal elections every three months “to allocate resources.” He also noted that on the 13th anniversary of the “Strike at the Helm” speech by the late Comandante Hugo Chávez, the government has consolidated 5,336 communal circuits and 3,652 communes, with a goal of reaching 6,000 communes by January 2027. These figures illustrate the state’s efforts to institutionalize People’s Power.
At the same time, he denounced a campaign originating abroad against Comandante Hugo Chávez and himself, aimed at discrediting Venezuelan democracy. He demanded “respect for democracy and the people of Venezuela,” underscoring the government’s stance amid international criticism of its political system.
The experience of the National Popular Consultation
The first National Popular Consultation was held in April, deepening direct democracy across the country. Communities selected 4,500 communal projects for funding, with allocated resources strengthening the role of People’s Power in their respective areas.
The second round of electoral participation took place in August. During that round, communal circuits selected additional projects for funding and implementation, reinforcing community organization and enabling planning more closely aligned with local realities.
The upcoming Popular Consultation in November represents another step in this strategy of participatory and protagonist democracy. Citizens will directly decide how resources are allocated to finance their chosen projects. President Maduro’s announcement reaffirms the government’s commitment to communal democracy and calls for high turnout to strengthen the foundation of People’s Power.
(RedRadioVE) by Jhulimar Fraga
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JB/SH