Venezuelans to participate in high-stakes regional elections

By REGINA GARCIA CANO
Associated Press

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — President Nicolás Maduro is not on the ballot for the upcoming elections across Venezuela, and the names of winners of gubernatorial and other local races likely won’t be well-known beyond their country’s borders. But the regional elections Sunday could play a pivotal role on whether the South American country can find a way out of its years-long political stalemate. The stakes for the local contests were raised when the main opposition parties earlier this year agreed to participate for the first time since 2017. Venezuelan authorities at the same time agreed to the presence of independent international observers, including the European Union.