Intro
On Sunday, a bunch of Venezuelans hit the polls for a super important presidential election where the current guy, President Maduro, is facing some serious heat. This vote could be the end of the "Chavismo" thing that's been running the show for 25 years now.
Money Troubles and Politics Gone Wild
So, Maduro, who's 61, is trying to stay in power while the country's economy is a total mess. In the last ten years, it's gone down like 80%, and more than 7 million people have left the country. People say he's not playing fair and has done some not-so-nice things to folks who disagree with him.
Who's Gonna Win?
Some folks think this might be the end of Maduro's party, but he's not gonna give up without a fight. His main opponent is Edmundo, a 74-year-old who used to work for the government. Even though he's ahead in the polls, no one's betting on Maduro admitting defeat.
What the People Are Saying
Lots of voters, like Mercedes, a 68-year-old from the big city, are worried the election might be rigged. Maduro's been saying some scary stuff if he doesn't win, and the people in charge of the election aren't exactly fans of the other side.
Voting Day and the Opposition's Stand
Edmundo promised to protect the vote and hoped the military would play nice if he won. Despite some problems with the person they wanted to run, the opposition is still expecting a big turnout. People were lining up early to vote, which might make it harder to mess with the results.
What the Rest of the World Thinks
The US and some other countries have been watching this whole thing closely. They made a deal with both sides and hoped everyone would play fair. The US Secretary of State said everyone needs to respect the vote, and everyone's waiting to see what happens.
Eyes on the Election
Some important outsiders weren't allowed to watch the election, but a few from the US and the UN got to check things out. They'll write a secret report about what they saw.
The Bottom Line
With so many people who could vote, this election is a big deal. What happens will tell us a lot about what's next for Venezuela's government and how it'll deal with its money woes and all the people leaving the country. Everyone's keeping their fingers crossed for a fair result.