Elections a new rupture point in Venezuela crisis
A Maduro loss in May's election could be a turning point, but recovery will be lengthy
On 20 May 2018, Venezuelans will go to the polls to elect one president, 233 state legislators, and 2,436 municipal councilors. Given Venezuela's long presidentialist tradition, in which the executive holds the reins of power, all eyes will be on President Nicolás Maduro's bid for reelection. Venezuela's president will run against the former governor from the state of Lara, Henri Falcón, the only other viable candidate standing after the opposition bloc decided not to enter what they call a "fraudulent and illegitimate" presidential election. While Falcón has condemned Maduro's transgressions against opposition leaders and the government's manipulation of previous elections, he has also reje

Also in this section
11 August 2025
The administration is pushing for deregulation and streamline permitting for natural gas, while tightening requirements and stripping away subsidies from renewables
8 August 2025
The producers’ group missed its output increase target for the month and may soon face a critical test of its strategy
7 August 2025
The quick, unified and decisive strategy to return all the barrels from the hefty tranche of cuts from the eight producers involved in voluntary curbs signals a shift and sets the tone for the path ahead
7 August 2025
Without US backing, the EU’s newest sanctions package against Russia—though not painless—is unlikely to have a significant impact on the country’s oil and gas revenues or its broader economy