Venezuela's Presidential Candidates Close Campaigns Amidst Warnings of Bloodbath or Military Insurrection

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his main rival, opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, have concluded their campaigns ahead of the July 28 presidential elections. Maduro has issued warnings of a potential 'bloodbath' or military insurrection if he is defeated.

He has been omnipresent in the run-up to the elections, appearing on state TV, smiling on building facades, and even illuminating the night sky over Maracaibo. During his campaign closing rally in Maracaibo, Maduro raised a replica of Liberator Simon Bolivar's sword, while his supporters displayed dummies and posters depicting him as 'Super Bigote' (Super Moustache).

In contrast, opposition leader Maria Corina Machado and Gonzalez Urrutia held a press conference in Caracas, expressing their confidence in Maduro's defeat. Former Bolivian President Evo Morales, in an interview, claimed that Maduro would win the elections but alleged the existence of a plan from abroad to claim fraud.

As the election day approaches, tensions rise as the focus shifts to the potential consequences of the outcome, with Maduro's warnings adding a sense of urgency and concern.