VALENCIA, Venezuela: Josselyz Essa and her young friend, both just 9 years old, exhibit an early fascination with the world of politics, a burgeoning interest that has taken root in the tumultuous landscape of Venezuela as the nation gears up for its next presidential election.
Brimming with excitement, the two girls eagerly awaited the commencement of a campaign rally, surrounded by the cacophonous buzz of the crowd in the streets of Valencia, a northern city in Venezuela.
Standing on their tiptoes, the young duo joined in the clamor, their voices blending with the chorus of the crowd, shouting with all their might: “María Corina! María Corina!” The object of their admiration is María Corina Machado, an opposition politician and a prominent figure in their dreams of a better future for Venezuela, a future where she ascends to the presidency.
Machado, known for her staunch advocacy of free-market principles, stands as the frontrunner in the primary election scheduled for Sunday. The opposition has organized this crucial event to select a formidable contender to challenge the incumbent President Nicolás Maduro. It’s a watershed moment for the troubled South American nation, marking the first such primary since 2012.
Despite Machado’s popularity among opposition supporters, the path ahead remains shrouded in uncertainty. While Maduro’s government has tentatively agreed to allow the opposition to choose its candidate, it has a history of obstructing political opponents. Machado has already faced disqualification from running for office in the past, and the government has shown a propensity for bending the law and flouting agreements to suit its agenda.
In the primary election, all the candidates share a common goal – toppling Nicolás Maduro’s presidency. In the past, this singular aspiration would have sufficed to garner the support of those opposed to the self-proclaimed socialist administration. However, the landscape has evolved, and the Venezuelan populace now demands more from their prospective leaders.
Some seek employment opportunities, while others yearn for an improved public healthcare system. Some clamor for reduced food prices, while others hope to access business credit. Josselyz, on the other hand, has a simple yet poignant desire – a better school. She laments the state of her current educational institution, citing crumbling walls, a lack of cafeteria facilities, and subpar food quality. Her poignant words reflect the dire state of Venezuela’s education system, which has suffered greatly over the course of the nation’s decade-long crisis.
The multifaceted crisis that has gripped Venezuela – encompassing political, social, and economic dimensions – has continued to evolve. The latest phase has been particularly challenging, following a brief period of economic stability that briefly spanned the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022.
For many Venezuelans, life has become an intricate dance of economic survival. They may be able to afford food today but not tomorrow. They may receive a government stipend today, only to find it absent tomorrow. Filling up a fuel tank with subsidized gasoline today is no guarantee that it will be possible tomorrow.
Throughout the year, Maduro’s allies have ridiculed and dismissed the primary election, portraying it as a mere sideshow. However, both the government and its opposition counterparts have utilized the contest as a bargaining chip, leveraging it in an ongoing negotiation process aimed at resolving the nation’s dire crisis.
As the young voices of Josselyz and her friend join the chorus of change in Venezuela, the outcome of this primary election will undoubtedly shape the destiny of a nation yearning for a brighter future. Whether their cries for a better school and a better life will be answered remains to be seen in a country mired in political intrigue and economic turmoil.
