The government of Nicolás Maduro has called for elections in May 2025 in a deeply undemocratic political context, where civil and political rights are systematically violated. Far from representing a genuine opportunity to restore democratic order, this electoral call is taking place in an atmosphere of repression, censorship, exclusion, and lack of minimum guarantees—conditions that disqualify the process from being free and fair.
According to the report published by the Venezuelan Program for Education and Action in Human Rights (PROVEA) in May 2025, the electoral process is fundamentally flawed due to the absence of essential conditions: there is no credible or independent international observation; key opposition leaders and parties remain arbitrarily disqualified; freedoms of expression, assembly, and association are not guaranteed; and the Electoral Registry has not been updated or cleaned, leaving millions of voters—especially those in the diaspora—excluded. PROVEA warns that at least 25% of the voting-age population will not be able to participate, amounting to a structural pre-electoral fraud.
The report also highlights that repression of dissent remains a state policy. Human rights defenders, journalists, and civil society organizations face ongoing harassment, criminalization, and persecution. This repression, compounded by the collapse of public services, the erosion of purchasing power, and the forced migration of over seven million Venezuelans, reflects the regime’s authoritarian nature and its practical denial of the right to political participation.
This new call for elections must also be seen in light of the fraudulent presidential elections of July 28, 2024, in which the Maduro regime manipulated the electoral process to retain power illegitimately. That election, marked by widespread irregularities, exclusion of opposition candidates, media censorship, and the absence of impartial oversight, was denounced nationally and internationally as a sham. It further eroded institutional trust and deepened the political and humanitarian crisis. The upcoming elections are part of the same pattern of authoritarian control, not a break from it.
PROVEA demands the immediate release of all political prisoners, an end to arbitrary disqualifications, the restoration of democratic guarantees, and the creation of a pluralistic and inclusive electoral environment. Sustained pressure from Venezuelan society, together with the international community, is essential to compel the regime to respect the people’s right to free and fair elections.
In light of this grave situation, we urgently call on the international community—multilateral organizations, democratic governments, and human rights defenders—not to legitimize a fraudulent electoral process. It is vital to demand real conditions for a democratic transition: free, transparent, and verifiable elections with full participation and without repression. Silence or inaction will only strengthen an authoritarian model that threatens the dignity and future of an entire people.