Opposition leader: Primaries are the right time to react against fear

Teresa Albanes, the president of the Unified Democratic Panel (MUD) Electoral Committee, thinks that Venezuela is facing an "abnormal" situation due to civil rights restrictions. As a result, people who decide not to vote in the opposition primary elections would be "missing an opportunity" to change things.

If we do not participate, "we would be saying: we are afraid," Albanes added. "This is the right time to react against fear. We must be tough and oppose the government because if there is a high turnout in an election that is terrifying the government, they will not be able to punish or crack down on people."

She insisted that massive participation will stop the government from materializing veiled threats.

Albanes urged people to cast their ballot early on Sunday, thus allowing electoral authorities to close polling stations at 4 p.m., as provided by the MUD election regulations.

She added that polling stations will start operations at 7 a.m.

The opposition alliance trusts in Plan República, the electoral security and protection operation deployed by the military, said Albanes.