Former governor of Zulia state, Manuel Rosales, introduced on Might 26, 2025, his agency resolution to stay on the electoral path, regardless of the defeat suffered within the regional and legislative elections.
At a press convention from the Authorities Palace in Maracaibo, Rosales delivered a message of resilience and dedication, asserting that politics doesn’t finish with a defeat, however slightly opens a brand new chapter in his battle. “We are going to proceed on the electoral path, even with the ache it causes us, with the reality in entrance, with out misleading guarantees or phrases meant to mislead the folks” stated the opposition chief.
Rosales, who misplaced the governorship of Zulia to the Chavista candidate Luis Caldera, acknowledged his defeat with a relaxed but agency speech. With solely 35.35% of the vote, in line with official information, the previous governor thanked those that supported his candidacy and his celebration, Un Nuevo Tiempo (UNT), in addition to the allies who backed him.
“My due to those that protected the votes on the polling stations, to these answerable for mobilization, and to all who supported us” he famous. Regardless of the setback, Rosales made it clear that his struggle is just not over: “This isn’t the tip, it’s a new chapter in my life and in my political battle.”
Probably the most forceful factors in his speech was the criticism of sectors of the opposition, led by María Corina Machado, who promoted abstention within the Might 25 elections. Rosales known as this technique a “categorically mistaken message” that steered change was close to and that abstention was important to realize it.
“I hope those that promoted abstention don’t remorse it” he expressed, lamenting the huge electoral defeat of the opposition in a context the place Chavismo consolidated its territorial energy by profitable three extra areas, together with Zulia.
Manuel Rosales: A Dedication to the Electoral Route.
Manuel Rosales, chief of UNT and a distinguished determine within the Venezuelan opposition, served as governor of Zulia from 2000 to 2008 and once more from 2021 till his current defeat.
In 2006, he ran for president towards Hugo Chávez, and in 2024, he took on a last-minute presidential candidacy after María Corina Machado was disqualified and Corina Yoris was blocked by the Nationwide Electoral Council (CNE).
His resolution to run in 2024 was seen as an try and salvage the opposition’s electoral path, though it sparked controversy inside the Democratic Unity Platform (PUD).
Rosales has defended the electoral route as the one viable answer for Venezuela. In his tackle, he reiterated that the opposition should observe a “civic, electoral, and democratic path,” ruling out any different. “There is no such thing as a different approach, and if somebody has one, allow them to current it — I’m prepared to listen to it,” he challenged.
The Rise of Chavismo and abstention as a Double-Edged Sword.
The Nationwide Electoral Council (CNE), below authorities management, introduced that the Nice Patriotic Pole, a coalition led by Nicolás Maduro, obtained 82.68% of the votes, securing 23 of the 24 governorships and a crushing majority within the Nationwide Meeting. This outcome got here amid excessive abstention, with electoral participation barely reaching 42.6%.
The excessive abstention was promoted by opposition sectors led by María Corina Machado and Edmundo González, who known as for a boycott of the elections in protest of the 2024 presidential fraud. Nevertheless, this technique resulted in a big decline in opposition illustration, which went from controlling 4 governorships in 2021 to only one in 2025.
The EU condemns the elections in Venezuela for going down in a repressive atmosphere.
In the meantime, the European Union has denounced the elections in Venezuela as a course of marked by the repression of dissent and the shortage of democratic ensures.
In an official assertion, the EU Excessive Consultant expressed deep concern over the extremely restrictive atmosphere during which the elections had been held, noting that Venezuelan authorities have intensified repression and harassment towards the opposition and civil society because the presidential elections of July 2024.
Moreover, the EU has urged Nicolás Maduro’s authorities to finish all unjust and arbitrary detentions and to unconditionally launch all political prisoners.
The worldwide neighborhood, together with america and the Group of American States, has backed these calls for, calling for neutral verification of the election outcomes and respect for human rights in Venezuela.
This assertion by the European Union underscores the rising worldwide concern over the authoritarian drift of the Chavista regime and the pressing want to revive democracy and the rule of regulation in Venezuela.
Russia Backs Venezuela’s Disputed Electoral Course of.
The Russian authorities, via its Ministry of Overseas Affairs, has praised the parliamentary and regional elections held in Venezuela on Might 25, 2025, describing them as «well-organized and with out violations.» This assertion stands in stark distinction to widespread allegations of fraud, political persecution, and voter turnout that didn’t surpass 43%, in line with official figures from the Nationwide Electoral Council (CNE), which is managed by the ruling Chavista regime. Whereas the opposition denounces a manipulated and untrustworthy course of, Moscow continues to legitimize Nicolás Maduro as a dependable accomplice within the area.
Russia’s endorsement not solely highlights a long-standing geopolitical alliance but additionally seems to be a calculated transfer to counter worldwide criticism accusing the Venezuelan regime of human rights abuses and systemic electoral fraud.
The absence of unbiased observers, the arbitrary disqualification of opposition leaders, and the wave of repression main as much as the vote reinforce the notion that what befell in Venezuela was removed from a democratic election. Removed from a civic celebration, the nation skilled an election day marked by concern, political fragmentation, and the pressured silence of a disillusioned citizenry.
The necessity for a unified and strategic opposition.
The fragmentation of the Venezuelan opposition has been one of many primary elements permitting Chavismo to stay in energy. Whereas some sectors guess on abstention and worldwide denunciation, others, like Rosales, insist on electoral participation because the means to realize change.
It’s crucial that the Venezuelan opposition overcome its divisions and construct a unified technique that mixes worldwide stress with energetic participation in electoral processes. Solely then can it successfully confront the Chavista regime and pave the best way for a democratic transition.
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