Venezuela's Sham Presidential Election
Venezuela's ruling socialist regime plans to hold a sham presidential election on July 28, coinciding with late dictator Hugo Chávez's birthday. Opposition candidate Maria Corina Machado is banned from running, leaving unpopular candidates to compete. The regime violates agreements for free and fair elections, receives oil and gas sanctions relief from the U.S., and sets the election dates based on significant dates in its pseudo-religious structure.