Venezuela Pushes Presidential Vote Back a Month to May 20

(Bloomberg) -- Venezuela's ruling socialists and opponents agreed to push back general elections by a month until May 20 and invite international observers to monitor the balloting, following widespread outcry that President Nicolas Maduro had attempted to rig the vote.

The accord struck Thursday calls for holding presidential, state legislator and municipal council elections simultaneously. Both sides also agreed to jointly meet with the United Nation's Secretary-General to request a delegation of electoral observers.

The government's announcement of the April 22 vote with just three months lead time was seen by the opposition and international observers as a ploy to catch a demoralized opposition off guard and guarantee Maduro another six-year term. Thursday's agreement -- while giving all sides an extra month to prepare and adding the prospect of election observers -- is unlikely to offset the perception that the elections will lack legitimacy.

“In these circumstances, anyone who participates in the elections cannot be considered to be part of the opposition,” Congressman Juan Pablo Guanipa told reporters Thursday.

‘No Other Option'

The majority of parties that make up the Democratic Unity Roundtable, known as MUD for its Spanish acronym, announced last week they would boycott the ballot, denouncing it as little more than a public relations coup for an increasingly authoritarian regime.

Earlier this week, Bloomberg News reported that Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez and key members of the opposition coalition had resumed talks to push back the election and shake up the National Electoral Council, which Maduro has stacked with loyalists. The fractious coalition failed to reach a consensus on the government's latest terms, and former Governor Henri Falcon broke ranks and officially registered as a candidate Wednesday.

“Sadly, Falcon gave into temptation to participate, and with that he's playing the dictatorship's game,” Guanipa said. Underlying the opposition's devisions, the MUD expelled the presidential hopeful earlier this week.

While Falcon, 56, a former military man and ally of the late Hugo Chavez, leads most polls, analysts say he will struggle to rally grassroots support. Only two other opposition parties besides Falcon's own Progressive Front signed Thursday's agreement.

Rodriguez, who for months has lead closed-door talks on Maduro's behalf, touted the deal as definitive remedy to Venezuela's bitter political crisis, which spilled over into months of bloody protests last year.

“What alternative do they have?” he asked reporters. “There is no other option; the only option is votes.”

--With assistance from Noris Soto Fabiola Zerpa and Patricia Laya

To contact the reporter on this story: Andrew Rosati in Caracas at arosati3@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Vivianne Rodrigues at vrodrigues3@bloomberg.net, Robert Jameson

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