Venezuela’s latest “ghost election” tells a bleak story about a country caught between political theater and economic freefall. In this episode, we unpack how Nicolás Maduro’s regime claimed a sweeping victory amid record-low turnout, why the opposition sees abstention as both tactic and trap, and how expiring U.S. sanctions exemptions could plunge the nation back into deeper recession and renewed inflation. With oil production set to fall and Washington divided on strategy, Venezuela faces tightening pressure at home and abroad—even as dissidents continue their fight from exile, prison, or the shadows. What happens when a government wins elections no one shows up for—and an economy runs out of lifelines? Let’s dig into the fragile reality behind the headlines.

https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2025/05/29/venezuelas-sound-of-silence