What to know about Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro, seeking third term
With the Venezuelan presidential election on the horizon, President Nicolas Maduro is confident he will win by a "landslide," despite strong support for his opponent.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, in power since 2013 and running for a third term on July 28, is confident he is still the right man to lead the OPEC country that has been governed by the socialists for a quarter of a century.
“Come rain, shine or lightning ... we’re going to win by a landslide,” he said in a recent broadcast on state television, shortly after reading out mock election results in which he notched “an irreversible victory”.
The mustachioed Maduro, 61, a former foreign minister and bus driver, has bristled with energy and electoral confidence despite evidence of strong support for his opponent Edmundo González among Venezuelans weary of years of economic deprivation.
Former diplomat González, 74, replaced opposition darling Maria Corina Machado on the ballot — which also includes nine other candidates — after a ban on her holding public office was upheld in January.
Maduro, who likes to chug green juices at campaign events, citing their health properties, is heir to his late mentor, Hugo Chavez, and is running for his second reelection. Venezuela’s opposition, the United States and many other Western countries consider Maduro’s win in 2018 to be a sham.
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