Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—Venezuela will hold elections this Sunday, July 27, in the 33rd electoral process since the Bolivarian Revolution began. Voters will elect 335 mayors and 2,471 councilors to lead local governments nationwide.The event aims to deepen popular democracy, strengthen communal power, and advance a model of permanent participation. At the same time, Venezuelan youth will participate in an unprecedented National Popular Consultation. More than 37,000 community projects proposed by youth in Venezuela’s 5,338 communes and communal districts will be put to a vote.What positions are up for election?Venezuelans will elect:• 335 mayors (one per municipality).• 2,471 municipal councilors, selected through three methods:– 1,420 by list (60%).– 982 by nominal vote (40%).– 69 by indigenous representation.Record candidate participationThe National Electoral Council (CNE) registered 148,554 candidates:• 10,594 for mayor.• 55,898 for nominal councilor.• 81,588 for list councilor.• 474 indigenous applicants.A total of 53 political organizations will be participating.Youth popular consultationPresident Nicolás Maduro confirmed that the top 10 communes or districts by participation will receive funding for a second youth-led project. The funding will be split between:• Five areas with the highest vote totals.• Five areas with the highest participation relative to population.Voters will select from 40,432 youth projects across 5,336 communes and communal districts on July 27.Security and logisticsDefense Minister Vladimir Padrino announced the Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB) deployed Plan República to secure polling stations:• FANB personnel will guard over 15,000 CNE-authorized centers.• Military support includes transporting and protecting electoral materials.International observers to monitor electionsThe CNE reported Friday that approximately 1,400 national and foreign observers will accompany Sunday’s elections. CNE President Elvis Amoroso stated that the international guests represent “the five continents” and include election officials, experts, intellectuals and university professors.Amoroso said that these observers will be deployed nationwide “to guarantee the participation of the sovereign people,” during an event broadcast on state channel VTV.Political landscapeChavismo’s strategy:• The Great Patriotic Pole (GPPSB) coalition is fielding 335 mayoral candidates after grassroots consultations.• Chavismo shows clear unity versus opposition fragmentation with thousands of candidates for mayor.Opposition fragmentation:• Divided between boycott advocates (Unitary Platform) and participating parties which include A New Time (UNT), Neighborhood Force, Solutions, and Progressive Alliance, among others.• Analysts predict the opposition could lose 70+ of its 111 current mayoralties, retaining only 30–40 in urban strongholds like Chacao and Maracaibo.May 25 results and trendsThe GPPSB won 23 of 24 governorships on May 25 with 82.6% of votes (4.55 million), reinforcing Chavista momentum ahead of July’s elections.Transparency concernsDespite recent Chavista victories, the CNE faces scrutiny:• Detailed results from the July 28, 2024, presidential election and May 2025 regional/parliamentary votes remain unpublished.• The CNE blames a 2024 cyberattack targeting vote transmission, but its website stays offline despite other digital electoral services functioning.• The Supreme Court ordered the CNE to publish results, but compliance is pending.• Analysts warn that prolonged opacity risks voter disengagement and weakens democratic legitimacy.In recent months local media and analysts have jokingly stated that one or another recently elected governor or deputy to the National Assembly do not know exactly how many votes they received, as a direct result of this critical failure under the CNE responsibility.Venezuela: Tactical and Strategic Aspects of July 27 Municipal ElectionsParticipation outlookOpposition-leaning pollster Félix Seijas (Delphos) expects turnout to vary by municipality, peaking where competitive races exist. Analyst Franco Vielma (Misión Verdad) notes:• Abstention metrics are skewed by outdated voter rolls including millions abroad.• Opposition candidates are often weak, depressing their base’s turnout.• “We’re having 335 elections with 335 distinct realities,” with Chavismo benefiting from local networks and real social ties.Electoral integrity assuranceNicanor Moscoso, president of the Council of Electoral Experts of Latin America (CEELA), affirmed Venezuela’s voting system is “secure and auditable,” dismissing alleged weaknesses as politically motivated. Special for Orinoco Tribune by staffOT/JRE/JB