File photo of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro facing sympathizers during a political rally and pointing to the left with his hand. Photo: Presidential Press.
Caracas, September 21, 2022 (OrinocoTribune.com)—The latest Monitor Pais poll published this Wednesday, September 21, on its Twitter account by the polling firm Hinterlaces shows that the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) more than doubled the total approval rating of all opposition parties combined. The PSUV, together with the Great Patriotic Pole Alliance (adding 1%) obtained 36%, making the combined approval rating of 14% for Democratic Action (AD), Justice First (PM), A New Time (UNT), Unidad, Popular Will (VP), Vente, COPEI and others look pale in comparison.
Ranking de los partidos polĂticos de Venezuela #MonitorPais Hinterlaces (Septiembre 2022) pic.twitter.com/5hvOiMdLnr
— Hinterlaces (@Hinterlaces) September 21, 2022
The interviewees were asked the following: Which political party do you currently sympathize the most with? It is important to highlight that 50% of them said that they either do not sympathize with any political party (45%), do not know how to answer or did not want to answer (5%). This reflects a trend that has been persistent in Venezuelan politics for the last 5-6 years and for many analysts it is a direct consequence of US and European sanctions.
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Venezuelan opposition, according to many analysts, has lost steam in recent years, more evidently after the debacle with GuaidĂł within the failed US-led “regime change” project. Debates are currently taking place on how to advance opposition primaries to choose the candidate who will face President Nicolás Maduro in the 2024 presidential race, although it is not known if the winner will run alone or with other possible opposition candidates, as there is a growing list of pre-candidates which has grown from around 20 at the beginning of 2022, to 30 a couple of months ago, and is currently at 40, according to local news outlets.
Âż A quiĂ©n elegirĂan hoy los venezolanos como Presidente ? #MonitorPais Hinterlaces (Septiembre 2022) pic.twitter.com/33aghx6Hez
— Hinterlaces (@Hinterlaces) September 21, 2022
On the other hand, the PSUV has been oiling up and optimizing with internal elections at all levels of its structure in preparation for the 2024 presidential race, but also in an attempt to topple criticism from grassroots organizations about the lack of empathy of many of its leaders towards the problems of ordinary Venezuelans, along with recent scandals of corruption and drug-trafficking that have been properly put in the hands of the judicial system.
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Another question posed by the polling firm asked participants who they would choose, if given the chance, to be the next president of Venezuela. President Maduro, whose been on an upward trajectory in recent months, was clearly the first choice with 36%, and “another candidate from Chavismo” obtained 5%, representing a 41% total for Chavismo. Meanwhile, opposition politicians received very little support, with MarĂa Corina Machado leading the far-right list (5%), followed by Polar owner Lorenzo Mendoza (5%), UNT leader and Zulia governor Manuel Rosales (4%), Juan GuaidĂł (2%), Henrique Capriles (1%) and Leopoldo LĂłpez (1%).
Âż A quiĂ©n elegirĂa usted como candidato Presidencial de la oposiciĂłn ? #MonitorPais Hinterlaces (Septiembre 2022) pic.twitter.com/3TX1G24WOB
— Hinterlaces (@Hinterlaces) September 21, 2022
Hinterlaces finished the public section of its poll asking Venezuelans: Who would you choose as the presidential candidate for the opposition (first person that comes to mind)? Answers were almost identical to the previous question with MarĂa Corina Machado (5%) leading, closely followed by Manuel Rosales (4%), then Lorenzo Mendoza (3%), Juan GuaidĂł (2%), Henrique Capriles (1%) and Leopoldo LĂłpez (1%).
It is important to highlight that Leopoldo LĂłpez (currently based in Spain) is a fugitive of Venezuela’s judicial system, and he would not be able to participate in any election unless Venezuela found a formula to reverse judicial and administrative decisions or pardon his crimes. For this reason many analysts believe that some groups of the opposition, with the help of Washington, will still push for the Mexico Talks to be resumed.
Orinoco Tribune special by staff
OT/JRE/DD
