Venezuela: The Opposition's Last Hope for Change

The United States may eventually regard it as illegitimate, but Venezuela's ruling party managed to retain governorships in most of the country's 23 states that held elections on Oct. 15. Although the opposition coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), made gains in some regions -- such as Anzoategui, Nueva Esparta, Tachira, Merida and Zulia -- the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) conclusively kept its majority hold over the country's governorships. The opposition's greatest hope for change now is for the U.S. government to deem the results as illegitimate and to implement heavier sanctions against the Venezuelan government or state energy firm Petroleos de Venezuela....