Venezuela’s jubilant opposition has vowed to drag the oil-rich country out of its economic crisis and free political prisoners after it broke the socialist government’s 16-year grip on the legislature.
But analysts warned political struggles lie ahead for the center-right MUD coalition and its moral figurehead Lilian Tintori, if they want a break from the socialist “revolution” launched by late president Hugo Chavez.
The MUD, a broad coalition of dozens of parties, must stay united if it wants to press its advantage against Nicolas Maduro, the country’s mustachioed president and champion of “Chavismo.”
Despite his fiery campaign rhetoric, Maduro promptly conceded defeat in Sunday’s legislative election and called for “coexistence” between the opposition and his PSUV party, which lost control of the National Assembly for the first time since 1999.
He also called a party congress to consider reforms.
“It will be a debate on how we will move forward with more revolution,” said the president, whose closest regional ally is Communist Cuba.
“The counter-revolution (opposition) has had this victory in the National Assembly,” Maduro said at the presidential palace after meeting with leaders of his party.
“The situation is complicated. We have got to close ranks in a civilian-military alliance,” he stressed.
The MUD won 110 seats in the one-chamber assembly, the National Electoral Board said. The ruling socialist PSUV has 55, and two more are not yet decided.
The boiling tension of the past weeks of campaigning subsided into caution as Tintori and senior MUD leader Jesus Torrealba vowed their side did not want “revenge” or violence.
“We have an immense responsibility,” Torrealba said in an interview broadcast online.