(13 Oct 2017) Venezuela's opposition is projected in polls to win a majority of governorships in Sunday's election.
Candidates like Carlos Ocariz are likely to win a majority of the 23 governorships up for grabs.
The race in Miranda, a state of 2.7 million that surrounds the capital, Caracas, will be watched closely as a bellwether of both how successful the opposition is at mobilizing voters and to what degree the government maintains backing amid mounting discontent.
The state is currently led by Gov. Henrique Capriles, one of the nation's most recognisable opposition figures, who lost to Maduro in the 2013 presidential race by less than two percentage points.
If opponents of President Nicolas Maduro win a decisive victory, it would be the first time since 2000 that the late President Hugo Chavez's ruling socialist party faces a nation led primarily by opposition governors.
Maduro's allies are hoping for a strong showing to prove they remain competitive.
Disenchanted, skeptical voters may fail to turn out in large numbers, turned off from politics after months of deadly anti-government protests that did not loosen Maduro's control.
As the country spirals further into economic calamity, the election is likely to be scrutinized as an indicator of both how much support President Nicolas Maduro maintains and whether the opposition is still able to mobilize disenchanted supporters.
Notably missing from the campaigning has been Maduro himself, who left the country to visit allies like Russia and Belarus during the run-up to the election.
With an approval rating hovering around 20 percent, Maduro's absence is seen as aiming to avoid potential harm by association for his party's candidates.
Venezuelans will choose governors in all 23 states in an election that was supposed to take place last December. The government-friendly National Electoral Council postponed the vote, after polls projected heavy losses for the ruling Socialist Party.
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
