Last Sunday the local elections in Venezuela gave a resounding victory to the ruling party, the ‘chavista’ United Socialist Party of Venezuela.

However, the results are blurred because of a constant, growing and alarming increase in abstention, to the point that only 27.4% of the electorate has participated in these elections.

While the Government tries to maintain criteria of democratic normality, the reality is that the country is going through a deep multilateral crisis without any solution in the short term.

An open conflict that translates into a serious migration, which is a direct consequence of a peculiar economic crisis resulting by the mix of an external embargo and high-level internal corruption and inefficiency at institutional levels.

This has led to a very serious and permanent lack of food, medical supplies as well as to the bankruptcy of the most basic everyday services.

The main sectors of the opposition have clearly decided to bet for unconstitutional and violent ways to overthrow the legitimate Government, appealing to a foreign humanitarian intervention, inspired and financed by the US (with the indispensable collaboration of the Colombian Government), based on a potential rise of some sector of the Venezuelan Armed Forces. All of this according to a plan apparently being devised by the intelligence services.

The recent municipal elections then leave an alarming situation on the table. All recognized actors have won, in their own way. The Government through democratic elections without incident, the opposition for its notable absence and the huge abstention and foreign interests because they maintain their arguments in defence of a possible external action.

In the midst of this scenario, the majority of the Venezuelan population seems to have chosen more pragmatic, personal and "non-political" options such as a resounding citizen abstention. One of the reason being that, clearly, the people do not expect substantial changes from the political-institutional mechanisms. In addition, despite some people had decided to return, thousands more have chosen to migrate.

All really worrisome symptoms that may precede what is known as a ‘failed state’, which in this case would have incalculable national, regional and international consequences given the economic and political importance of this South American country.