Caracas, Venezuela — Sporting a confident smile, well-groomed hair, and slightly squinting eyes, Nicolás Maduro will be the most prominent face on the ballot in Venezuela’s upcoming presidential election. The incumbent president is seeking reelection and is featured an astonishing 13 times on the ballot, far outnumbering his nine challengers.

Multiple Appearances on the Ballot

Unlike some of his competitors, Maduro’s image appears 13 times, each representing a different political group supporting him in the highly anticipated July 28 presidential election. This saturation makes him a standout on the ballot’s four rows, overshadowing other candidates like former diplomat Edmundo González Urrutia, who poses a significant challenge to Maduro’s bid for a third term.

A Critical Electoral Moment for Venezuela

The election comes at a crucial time for Venezuela, facing its toughest electoral test in decades. The results will either extend Maduro’s rule by another six years or potentially end his socialist policies, which have seen initial success in anti-poverty programs but later contributed to a prolonged economic crisis due to mismanagement.

Venezuela’s electoral rules permit a candidate’s picture to appear multiple times on ballots, proportional to the number of supporting parties. This year’s ballot includes 38 images, each labeled with the candidate’s name and party affiliation. However, for many voters, such as Sonia Guevara, a 38-year-old office worker, the repeated appearances can be disorienting. “I get dizzy when I see Maduro so many times on that card,” she said.

Opposition Challenges and Voter Clarity

One significant confusion arises from Luis Martínez, the candidate from Acción Democrática (AD), a traditional opposition party whose leadership was recently suspended by a pro-Maduro court. Martínez chose not to support González, complicating the voting decision for long-time AD supporters like Guevara’s 71-year-old mother.

Voter Preparedness and Electoral Participation

With an estimated 17 million eligible voters and an additional 4 million registered Venezuelans abroad, voter participation is a significant concern. However, only about 69,000 overseas voters meet the stringent government requirements to cast their ballots. Francisco Maldonado, a 50-year-old merchant in Caracas, stressed the importance of careful voting, comparing it to using an ATM.

Population and Electoral Discrepancies

The country’s population data is outdated, with the last census conducted in 2011, recording 27.2 million people. Since then, over 7.7 million have emigrated due to the country’s political and economic turmoil.

Expert Analysis on Electoral Confusion

Laura Dib, Venezuela Program Director at WOLA, highlighted the visual advantage of Maduro’s repeated appearances on the ballot. She noted that the opposition, lacking access to official media, struggles to educate voters on navigating the complex ballot. Additionally, similar colors used by both pro-Maduro and opposition parties add to the confusion, potentially violating electoral rules.

Potential Ballot Substitutions

The electoral law permits parties to substitute candidates up to 10 days before the election, a change that might not be reflected on pre-printed or programmed ballots. Votes for replaced candidates would be nullified, further complicating the election process.