Venezuela election: Maduro's Socialists trounced 마두로의 집권 사회당 완파 당하다

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Media captionThe BBC's Wyre Davies said it was a "devastating night" for the Socialists

The opposition in Venezuela has won a majority of seats in the National Assembly, overturning nearly two decades of dominance by the Socialists of President Nicolas Maduro.

Five hours after polling ended, the National Electoral Council announced the opposition had won 99 seats.

President Maduro has admitted defeat, recognising "these adverse results".

It is the worst-ever defeat for the leftist movement founded by former leader Hugo Chavez in 1999.

The Socialists have gained 46 seats, with another 22 yet to be declared.

Results arrived much later than expected, five hours after polls closed. Fireworks erupted over the capital, Caracas, soon after.

Among the campaign issues were chronic food shortages of staples - such as milk, rice, coffee, sugar, corn flour and cooking oil.

Venezuela's troubled economy

100%+

inflation level for 2015

-10% shrinking of GDP in 2015
-6% projected 2016 downturn
18.1% projected 2016 unemployment rate

Source: IMF, World Bank

Reuters

Venezuela has been hit hard by the continuing low price of oil, its main export. It also has the continent's highest inflation rate.

Mr Maduro has blamed the situation on an "economic war" waged by the opposition.

The reaction

Handout picture released by the Venezuelan presidency press office showing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during a press conference after knowing the first result in the legislative election, in Caracas on December 7, 2015. — Image captionNicolas Maduro conceded in a live televised address

"We have come with our morals and our ethics [intact] to recognize these adverse results, to accept them and to say to our Venezuela that the constitution and democracy have triumphed.

"We have lost a battle today, but the struggle to build a new society is just beginning." - Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela's president and head of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela.

Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles shows his ink-stained finger after casting his vote at a polling station during a legislative election, in Caracas December 6, 2015. — Image captionHenrique Capriles once ran for the presidency

"The results are as we hoped. Venezuela has won. It's irreversible," tweeted (in Spanish) Henrique Capriles, a leading opposition figure in the Democratic Unity Roundtable and a former presidential challenger.

"Venezuela wanted a change and that change came. A new majority expressed itself and sent a clear and resounding message." - Jesus Torrealba - opposition coalition chief.

What happens now?

The opposition alliance, made up of centrist and conservative parties, is confident of ultimately taking at least 112 seats after 16 years of socialist control.

According to senior figures in the alliance, that would allow them to pass laws allowing the release of political prisoners and to reverse, for example, appointments to senior legal positions made by the current government, says the BBC's Wyre Davies, in Caracas.

Humberto Lopez, known as — Image captionHumberto Lopez, a Venezuelan Che Guevara impersonator, reacts to the ruling party's defeat

It also gives stronger momentum to the opposition should it wish to call a referendum on Mr Maduro's future. This could take place only when his presidency reaches its halfway point in April next year.

However, under Venezuela's presidential system the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) will still be a powerful force, as it controls many municipalities.

The next presidential election is due in April 2019.

Why does the result matter?

It is the first time in 16 years that the PSUV is not in control in Congress - a serious blow to its socialist revolution
At 74.3%, voter participation was high, suggesting a sizeable proportion of the population backed change
The opposition will pose a serious challenge to the government's power to pass legislation
Jailed opposition leaders could be released if the opposition makes good on its promise to pass an amnesty law
It is another blow to left-wing policies in Latin America, coming two weeks after a centre-right candidate won in Argentina's presidential poll

How the campaigns were run

The elections were widely seen as a referendum on President Maduro, the handpicked successor of the late President Hugo Chavez, and the party's socialist policies.

The opposition accused the PSUV of mismanaging the economy and of squandering the country's oil wealth.

Mr Maduro says his party defends the interests of ordinary Venezuelans and wants to complete Mr Chavez's "Bolivarian Revolution".

The opposition also accused the government of increasing authoritarianism.

Earlier this year, opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez was given a 13-year prison sentence for inciting violence - a charge critics say was politically motivated.

** 기사요약 및 내 생각 **

1. 이번 사회당의 패배는 1999년 우고 차베스가 사회당을 창당한 이래 최악의 패배이다.

2. 현재까지 집권 사회당은 46석을 얻는데 그쳤고, 22석은 아직 개표중이다.

3. 베네주엘라에는 만성적인 식량부족의 문제가 있다. 우유, 쌀, 커피, 설당, 옥수수가루, 식용유의 부족.

3. 베네주엘라의 현재 경제상황: ①금년 인플레이션 100% 상승. ②금년 GDP 10% 감소. ③내년 GDP 6% 감소 전망. ④내년 실업률 18.1% 예상.

4. 이와 같은 서민들의 삶의 어려움이 16년간 태평성대를 구가했던 교만한 집권 사회당에게 선거의 패배를 안겼다. 한국도 서민들을 무시하는 정책들로 일관하고 있는 집권당의 오만은 반드시 교훈을 얻게 될 것이다. 현명한 자는 남의 말을 들을 줄 알며, 남에게서 가르침을 얻는다. 미련한 자는 이와 정반대로 행동할 것이다.