Overview

• Official data showed just 44% turnout in municipal elections to fill 335 mayoralties and 2,471 council seats.
• The governing PSUV secured 285 of the 335 mayoralties and won 23 of 24 state capitals, extending its dominance over local administrations.
• Main opposition coalition Plataforma Democrática under María Corina Machado largely boycotted the ballot, leaving only a minority of opposition figures on the ballot.
• The government ordered a full closure of the Colombia border and deployed strict military controls at all entry points during the vote.
• Rights groups and opposition leaders documented over 20 arrests and disappearances within 72 hours of election day, signaling a renewed crackdown on dissent.