Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro got the victory he sought in a weekend referendum on whether to claim sovereignty over an oil-rich area of neighbouring Guyana. But a lacklustre turnout suggested his government is losing influence and is tone deaf to people’s needs.
Maduro’s government had promoted the referendum for weeks as a unifying act of patriotism, including with theatre performances and reggaeton music.
Venezuela’s National Electoral Council on Monday reported participation in the referendum of about 10.5 million voters, which would have been just over half of the 20.6 million eligible people. Those figures contradicted what people witnessed at voting centres, where long lines typical
