Venezuela's National Assembly consolidates its power

By James Blears

The National Electoral Council announces that with more than sixty seven and a half percent of the vote adding up to five million votes cast, The Great Patriotic Alliance has swept the board. 

In a nationwide broadcast, President Nicolas Maduro termed it a great victory, saying Venezuela now has its new National Assembly.

A very different story back in 2015, when the opposition won the National Assembly with  a landslide majority and Opposition Leader Juan Guido, who`s since been recognized as the President of the Nation, by more than fifty countries, was at its Head.  He and his supporters have called this latest development fraudulent and have boycotted it, discarding the process. 

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called the Election a sham. More than likely further and deeper biting US economic sanctions will swiftly follow.

Technically, the former National Assembly was a power holdout blot against the Administration, but back in 2017, the Government established the National Constituent Assembly, which did the day to day running of the country, minus international treaties. 

The 277 seats National Assembly is now in the hands of President Nicolas Maduro`s Government  and will be officially starting up on January 5th.  To the victor the spoils.  The economy is in abject ruins, facing every aspect of bankruptcy, the oil industry is at almost a standstill and daily life is becoming harder plus painfully  pinched, with massive shortages in all the basic foodstuffs, with wages unable to match or even get close to  keeping  pace.