Dr. Arias said medical supplies, always scarce in La Vela, soon disappeared, hoarded until the May election. He said his superiors wanted to flood hospitals with supplies right before the vote, giving the impression that Mr. Maduro had fixed the country’s shortages. Residents in La Vela who had gone to the clinic confirmed it was suddenly supplied before the election. As Election Day neared, the doctors continued to fan out in support of Mr. Maduro. “It just leaves you overwhelmed.”On May 20, Mr. Maduro was declared the winner, landing him a second term.

Source: New York Times March 17, 2019 06:00 UTC