Maduro eyes second term in presidential election

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Venezuelans go to the polls to elect a president on Sunday and incumbent President Nicolas Maduro is expected to win and be re-elected to a new six-year term.

The election comes amid an economic crisis, cries of foul play from the opposition, but also voices of support.

On Saturday Maduro promised an "economic revolution" if re-elected.

"We are defending... the right to a just and prosperous future," he said on Twitter.

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Who are the main candidates?

Nicolas Maduro

The 55-year-old former bus driver has long promoted himself as the heir to “Chavismo,” the political movement begun by his late predecessor, Hugo Chavez. His policies have remained very much in line with the former leader.

His friendship with Chavez began in 1993 when Chavez was in jail following a coup attempt. “I will follow that man wherever he goes, I told myself. And that’s the way it was,” Maduro has said.

Maduro entered politics in 2000 as a National Assembly legislator and was named vice president in late 2012 by Chavez. In April 2013, he narrowly won the presidency in an election soon after Chavez's death.

Maduro largely continued Chavez’s policies of nationalization, currency and price controls and social handouts.

A man walks past graffiti in support of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, May 19, 2018. /VCG Photo

Henri Falcon

Falcon is a 56-year-old former soldier and governor of Lara state. From humble roots, he studied law at a Caracas university.

On the pro-government side, Falcon is widely seen as a traitor, having initially backed Chavez and then breaking away from the Socialist Party in 2010.

His key policy is to dollarize Venezuela’s economy, replacing the bolivar and allow humanitarian aid.

If elected, he says he will give a monthly welfare stipend of 25 US dollars to every adult and 10 US dollars to every child, and raise the minimum monthly wage to 75 US dollars.

Javier Bertucci

Bertucci, 48, is an evangelical pastor with no political experience. He said it is time for a non-politician to rule the country.

Bertucci ardently opposes abortion and insists adoption should not be available for same-sex couples.

He had little name recognition in Venezuela prior to running and is seen as having little chance of success.

Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela's president, speaks during a campaign rally in Caracas, Venezuela, on Thursday, May 17, 2018. /VCG Photo

Controversy of the election

"Come rain, thunder or lightning, there will be presidential elections in Venezuela”, President Maduro vowed last week.

He was right. Despite pleas, and warnings, from dozens of governments, including the United States, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, and Canada that the election will not be recognized, it is going ahead on Sunday.

Those that wanted the election postponed include the country’s main opposition coalition, which argues that the conditions are not in place for a fair vote.

However, the president also got support from his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan and Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona.

"I have faith you will be triumphant,” Erdogan told Maduro in a screen chat broadcast on Venezuela state television last week.

In turn, Maduro told Erdogan “Venezuelans are going to give a lesson on democracy and liberty to the world on Sunday.”

At Maduro’s closing campaign event in central Caracas last week, Maradona surprised the crowd by dancing to the rhythm of a catchy reggaeton song while waving a Venezuelan yellow, blue and red flag.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, his wife Cilia Flores and former Argentinian soccer player Diego Armando Maradona greet supporters during a campaign rally in Caracas, Venezuela, May 17, 2018. /Reuters Photo

Maradona, who has called himself a “soldier” for Maduro, is also a friend of Chavez and late Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

"If you give me victory, I will defeat the economic war,” Maduro roared at his final campaign event.

“It will be a grand victory …. that will give us a better Venezuela!” Maduro insisted.

(With input from Reuters; CGTN's Stephen Gibbs also contributed to this story.)