Last Sunday’s election in Venezuela and the dubious victory of President Nicolas Maduro will have little or no relevance in terms of benevolent governance of a Latin American country.

Far from it; the shambolic election will almost certainly militate against any profound change that the world can reasonably expect from the renewed tryst with democracy in this or any other country.

Small wonder there has been stout international condemnation over what is generally deemed to be a farcical exercise that is bound to strengthen the autocratic Maduro regime.

Comment on whether or not the outcome is a “victory against imperialism” ~ as Maduro reckons ~ will have to await developments, domestic as much as international. Most particularly the response of an impetuous US President, Donald Trump.

Thus far, Maduro’s main challengers have refused to recognise the result, alleging gross irregularities. Maduro has won 68 per cent of the votes ~ thrice that of his principal challenger, Henri Falcon.

That said, the low turnout of 46 percent undermines his legitimacy when contextualised with the 80 percent in the last presidential election (2013). In the moment of euphoria, that is unlikely to be shared by the populace, a jubilant Maduro claimed that the “revolution is here to stay”.

That task is easier claimed than accomplished. Over the past five years, Venezuela has contended with crippling recession and a chronic shortage of food, medicines, and other basic necessities. In a word, the poverty is dire and its alleviation ought to transcend the perceived “struggle” against imperialism.

Forbidding challenges will have to be countenanced in the sphere of foreign policy as well. The US State Department ~ the global police for all seasons ~ has swiftly binned the vote as a “sham”… couched in the threat to impose sanctions on Venezuela’s critical oil sector that currently contends with declining output and infrastructure that is said to have reached its sell-by date.

Tensions between Trump’s America and Maduro’s Venezuela will be embedded in the latter’s thoroughly unconvincing and disputed victory.

Across the high seas, the latter appears to have alienated Spain almost immediately. Most importantly, Maduro cannot but be unnerved by the robust statement of the 14-nation “Lima Group” of nations in the Americas ~ from Canada to Brazil.

The bloc has not recognised the legitimacy of the vote, and has signalled its intent to “downgrade diplomatic relations”. Of course, compliments have been advanced by Cuba, Bolivia, China, and Russia ~ all reluctant socialists over time.

Generally, there is international consternation in large parts of the world today over the spurious victory of a Head of State. It is altogether a depleted inheritance; the socialist President Maduro lacks the vision and energy of his predecessor, Hugo Chavez. That is the long and the short of it.