Caracas – Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday officially registered his candidacy for the April 22 presidential elections, pledging to “continue to work tirelessly for the fatherland.”
“I swear [to] you I will not fail you. Victory belongs to us,” Maduro tweeted.
The election has come under widespread international criticism, with the Organisation of American States (OAS) calling on Venezuela to cancel it because of a lack of transparency.
Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), the main opposition alliance, intends to boycott the polls, which it has dismissed as a “show” by a government lacking legitimacy.
Maduro is regarded as almost certain to win after several opposition leaders were jailed, went into exile or were banned from holding office.
More than 100 people were killed in 2017 in anti-government protests in the oil-producing country, which is mired in a massive economic crisis. (dpa/NAN)