Venezuelans Celebrate Historic Election: 'Yes We Can!'

Venezuela is still waiting for results on 22 seats in the 167-seat legislature, but it was already clear early on Monday that the election was an overwhelming victory for the opposition coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable, which won at least 99 seats over a longstanding socialist leadership.
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By Leigh Cuen and Leon Markovitz For the first time in 16 years, Venezuela's opposition party won control of the country's National Assembly on Sunday--and the nation erupted in celebration.

Venezuela is still waiting for results on 22 seats in the 167-seat legislature, but it was already clear early on Monday that the election was an overwhelming victory for the opposition coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), which won at least 99 seats over a longstanding socialist leadership.

In 1998, Hugo Chávez won his first election, and came to power the following year. In every legislative election since then, socialists who support Chávez, known in Venezuela as chavismo, have dominated the National Assembly.

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Vocativ used our geolocation technology to find Instagram images emerging from the ground after polls closed on Sunday night, finding that revelers lit fireworks, got together for drinks and held celebratory rallies in favor of the opposition. They danced in the streets, waved flags high and honked their car horns in shouts for joy as they drove in processions.

The majority of Venezuelans are deeply dissatisfied with President Nicolás Maduro's socialist government, according to recent reports by the Pew Research Center. The newly-elected parliament will serve a five-year term starting in January.

Venezuela es #mifelicidad y no nos la pueden volver a quitar!

A video posted by Juan Rafael Rangel Calles (@juanrangelprod) on

Translation: Venezuela is #myhappiness and you can't take it away from us again!

Translation: Long live Zulia and the Zulians! A thousand thanks to everyone who trusted in this project for a prosperous Venezuela.

Revelers sing Venezuela's national anthem.

Translation: Meanwhile celebrating the change of our country!!

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