A new day in Venezuela?

(Photo: Juan Barreto – AFP/Getty Images)

Venezuela’s Dec. 6 congressional elections will be the most undemocratic Latin America has seen in recent history, with the exception of Cuba’s. And yet, the opposition is likely to win the popular vote by a landslide, triggering what may be the beginning of the end of the country’s corrupt socialist regime.

The election rules set by Venezuelan government-controlled National Electoral Tribunal, or CNE, couldn’t be more unfair. The CNE has written the rules in such a way that the opposition must win more than 60 percent of the popular vote and dodge dozens of dirty tricks to win a majority in Congress.

It’s no coincidence that President Nicolás Maduro is not allowing credible international observers from the Organization of American States nor the European Union. Maduro’s CNE will only accept a delegation of friendly visitors from South America’s UNASUR group, which independent election experts say will do little more than political tourism on election day.

A study released last week by the Andres Bello Catholic University of Venezuela and International Institute for Democracy and International Assistance lists a series of irregularities that go far beyond the massive use of state funds by government candidates, government control of the media, intimidation of voters, arbitrary bans on opposition leaders from running for office, and imprisonment of political leaders, such as Leopoldo Lopez.

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