Volební korupce v Latinské Americe: případová studie Venezuely

Electoral corruption is a persistent problem in Latin America, undermining the building of democratic principles. Due to the vastness and diversity of the region, the thesis focuses comprehensively on only one Latin American country, Venezuela, where election results are often the subject of speculation and doubt. The thesis aims to find out at which stage of the electoral process electoral corruption is most common in Venezuela, and which types of electoral fraud are most common. Furthermore, the paper attempts to identify the main factors contributing to electoral corruption First, basic theoretical concepts are introduced, followed by an analysis of electoral corruption in Latin America and then a description of the electoral process in Venezuela. Using quantitative analysis, electoral corruption in Venezuela is examined in two time periods: during presidency of Hugo Chávez and during presidency of Nicolás Maduro. The research shows that electoral corruption occurs most frequently in the pre-election phase of the electoral process. The most common forms of electoral fraud include the manipulation of electoral rolls, the restriction and intimidation of the opposition, changes to electoral rules and districts, unequal media access and the abuse of state power during the electoral campaign. The main factors contributing to electoral corruption are the lack of transparency of state institutions, economic dependence on the oil industry, increasing poverty and dependence on state support, the strengthening of the role of the military in the state sphere and the maintenance of close relations with authoritarian regimes. The data revealed that electoral fraud and repressive tactics have intensified significantly under Maduro.