The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, announced that the Fourth National Popular Consultation will be held on Sunday, November 23. The president called on the Venezuelan people to prepare and nominate the projects they wish to implement in their communities:
«Direct democracy, the people in general elections to choose two projects,» expressed the head of state during the announcement. He urged «all residents to vote on their grassroots community projects to further strengthen direct democracy» in the country.
He emphasized that Venezuela has a system of four quarterly communal elections «for the allocation of resources.» In the context of the 13th anniversary of the “Golpe de timón” (Blow of the Helm) of Commander Hugo Chávez, he revealed that 5,336 communal circuits and 3,652 communes have been consolidated throughout the country.
President Maduro denounced the ongoing media campaign against Commander Chávez’s legacy and his government to discredit Venezuelan democracy. In response, he demanded «respect for the democracy and the people of Venezuela» in the face of this international criticism.
The National Popular Consultation is a mechanism that deepens direct democracy in Venezuela. In its first edition in April, 4,500 communal projects were selected for funding, strengthening the role of People’s Power in public management.
The second journey of electoral participation took place in August, where the communal circuits selected new projects for funding and implementation in the communities. This process consolidates the organizational spirit of the people and reinforces participatory local planning.