A top Venezuelan opposition party announced on Friday it would boycott April's presidential vote, showing divides within the opposition coalition.
Popular Will, the third largest opposition party, said it would "not nominate or endorse any candidate" in the April 22 presidential election that it says amounts to a "fraud."
Read more: Defiant President Madiuro vows to attend Summit of the Americas
"Those who register in these conditions are doing the dictatorship a favor," said the party led by Leopoldo Lopez (above). He is under house arrest on allegations of inciting violence in 2014 protests.
Venezuela's opposition is huddled around the Democratic Unity Round Table (MUD), an alliance of some 20 parties opposed to Socialist President Nicolas Maduro.
Read more:Desperate Venezuelans pouring into Brazil
Henrique Capriles, a two-time presidential candidate of the Justice First party, is also barred from office over allegations he misused state funds. He is widely viewed as the opposition figure most likely to be able to defeat Maduro.
Opposition undecided
MUD is debating whether to participate in April's election, which was controversially pushed forward from later this year.
Popular Will's announcement signals the perennially divided opposition may not be able to rally around a single candidate or agree on participating.
Henry Ramos, head of the Democratic Action party, said he favors the MUD supporting a single candidate to compete against Maduro.
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Venezuela on the brink
The last straw
Violent protests erupted across the country following a Supreme Court decision in late March 2017 to strip the legislative branch of its powers. Amid an international outcry, President Nicolas Maduro reversed the decision, but it was too late. Thousands took to the streets to call for new elections and dozens died in clashes with security forces.
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Venezuela on the brink
Starvation a growing problem
Venezuelans spend more than 30 hours a week waiting in lines to shop, and are often confronted with empty shelves when they finally enter a store. President Maduro blames the crisis on US price speculation. The opposition, however, accuses the Socialist government of economic mismanagement.
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Venezuela on the brink
Health care crisis 'reminiscent of war zones'
In Colombia, Venezuelans are collecting medical supplies to send home, as seen in this picture. Hospitals around the country have compared conditions to those seen only in war zones. As patient deaths rise, health officials have sounded the alarm on the rise of malaria and dengue fever.
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Venezuela on the brink
Venezuela's National Assembly seizes power from opposition-led congress
Venezuela's pro-government constituent National Assembly was established in July of 2017. The new body adopted the authority to pass legislation on a range of issues, effectively taking away the powers of congress, which was under the opposition's control. The move drew wide international condemnation.
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Venezuela on the brink
Western powers slap sanctions Venezuela's ruling officials
In response to the ongoing political crisis, the United States and European Union imposed a series of sanctions against ruling officials. The US has blacklisted members of the Constituent Assembly and frozen all of Maduro's assets that are subject to US jurisdiction. The EU, meanwhile, has banned arms sales to the country and is lining up to freeze assets and impose travel restrictions.
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Venezuela on the brink
Government victorious in regional elections
In October 2017, Venezuela held two votes: regional elections and elections for governors, which were overdue since 2016. The opposition boycotted the vote, but then split, as some candidates and small parties chose to participate. This caused a deep rift within Maduro's opponents. The government went on to sweep the contest, which detractors say was unfair and heavily favored the regime.
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Venezuela on the brink
Debt default looms
Last November the oil-rich, cash-poor nation faced its day of reckoning, as officials met with creditors to hammer out a deal to keep the country from defaulting on its debt — estimated to be up to $150 billion (€127 billion). US and EU sanctions, however, have limited the chance of an agreement. Creditors will almost certainly go after the country's oil reserves.
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Venezuela on the brink
The 'massacre of El Junquito'
In January, Oscar Perez, Maduro's enemy number one, was found by police in the Caracas neighborhood of El Junquito. The ex-cop had been on the run since he launched grenades at government buildings in the wake of the 2017 protests. The government labeled him a "terrorist." Perez and six other rebels were killed in the ambush, which the opposition denounced as an "extrajudicial killing."
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Venezuela on the brink
Presidential elections scheduled
The new National Assembly announced in January that it would grant Maduro's call for snap presidential elections on April 22. The electoral authority, CNE, later moved the date to May 20. The EU, the US and 14 Latin American nations warned that they would not recognize the results. The mainstream MUD opposition alliance boycotted the vote.
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Venezuela on the brink
Maduro wins
Maduro was re-elected to a second six-year term on May 20 with about 68 percent of the vote. Turnout was only 46 percent, according to the election body. However, the MUD opposition alliance, which boycotted the vote, put turn out at less than 30 percent. The Organization of American States called the elections neither free nor fair.
Author: Kathleen Schuster
"If the elections are free the government will lose, and if they are not free they'll lose because they aren't legitimate," he said in a locally televised interview.
Maduro has about a 20-percent approval rating in the oil-rich country plagued by hyperinflation and economic meltdown.
A split opposition either partially boycotting the election or fielding multiple candidates would have been a boost for Maduro, who has consolidated power by creating of a new legislative body and undermining the opposition.
Critics say Maduro will use electoral fraud and repression to win another six-year term.
cw/ng (AP, Reuters)
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