Venezuela’s political opposition rode a wave of economic discontent in Sunday’s elections to win the majority of legislative seats for the first time in 16 years. It’s a historic shift for the oil-rich nation that’s spent the past nearly two decades under a socialist regime that had few checks on its power.
The electoral earthquake will give the opposition more control over public spending and a platform to demand amnesties for political prisoners, including its own leaders. The final tally of seats is still underway, but if the opposition wins two-thirds (112 posts) of the National Assembly, it could possibly appoint new judges, or even launch a recall of embattled President Nicolás Maduro in 2016.
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