Opposition Stuns Socialists In Venezuela Election

Published December 7, 2015 at 1:52 PM EST

Venezuelan opposition supporters celebrate the results of the legislative election in Caracas, on the early morning December 7, 2015. Venezuela's opposition won --at least - a majority of 99 out of 167 seats in the state legislature, electoral authorities said Monday, the first such shift in power in congress in 16 years. (Luis Robayo/AFP/Getty Images)

An opposition coalition won an overwhelming victory in Venezuela’s legislative election yesterday. The coalition handed the leftist movement founded by the late Hugo Chavez its worst ever defeat since 1999. Economic issues dominated the campaign, including chronic food shortages of staples such as milk, rice, coffee and corn flour.

Cynthia Arnson, director of the Latin American Program at the Wilson International Center for Scholars, speaks with Here & Now’s Jeremy Hobson about what the election means for Venezuela going forward.

Guest

Cynthia Arnson, director of the Latin American Program at the Wilson International Center for Scholars. She tweets @CindyArnson.

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