Ana Vanessa Herrero

She and Pedro went all in on getting Hugo Chavez elected the first time he ran, because he promised changes that Maria and Pedro believed in— poor people getting access to university and health care and opportunities for a better life— They saw those changes happen, then over time saw them unraveling. Maduro, Chavez's successor, Maria said she never liked and never voted for him.

She and Pedro went all in on getting Hugo Chavez elected the first time he ran, because he promised changes that Maria and Pedro believed in— poor people getting access to university and health care and opportunities for a better life— They saw those changes happen, then over time saw them unraveling. Maduro, Chavez's successor, Maria said she never liked and never voted for him.

In this election, she said she volunteered as a witness because she wants a different country for her kids, and she believes in the opposition. So Maria trained to be a witness with a bunch of mostly other women, she said. Some retired, like her, some lawyers, meeting in someone's living room. As an overall plan, 600K had so many technological aspects.

In this election, she said she volunteered as a witness because she wants a different country for her kids, and she believes in the opposition. So Maria trained to be a witness with a bunch of mostly other women, she said. Some retired, like her, some lawyers, meeting in someone's living room. As an overall plan, 600K had so many technological aspects.

But the witnesses' training focused on the most analog, lo-fi part, talking to other people inside a voting center.

But the witnesses' training focused on the most analog, lo-fi part, talking to other people inside a voting center.

Maria and other witnesses were being trained for, essentially, a mass act of civil obedience, following and insisting on the law. At the training, they got a pamphlet outlining election law and procedures that they would take with them on voting day and be prepared to wield as needed. For instance, in Venezuela, there are military personnel at every voting center on election day.

Maria and other witnesses were being trained for, essentially, a mass act of civil obedience, following and insisting on the law. At the training, they got a pamphlet outlining election law and procedures that they would take with them on voting day and be prepared to wield as needed. For instance, in Venezuela, there are military personnel at every voting center on election day.

And Maria's training got into that specifically.

And Maria's training got into that specifically.

There are videos of witnesses in other parts of the country on Election Day who were locked out of their voting centers, reading the law out loud, saying, let us in. Some never got in. But Maria got in without problems. This is her account of her experiences on Voting Day. We've corroborated as much as we can without exposing her. Polls opened at 6 a.m.

There are videos of witnesses in other parts of the country on Election Day who were locked out of their voting centers, reading the law out loud, saying, let us in. Some never got in. But Maria got in without problems. This is her account of her experiences on Voting Day. We've corroborated as much as we can without exposing her. Polls opened at 6 a.m.

She and Pedro got to the voting center around 4.15 a.m. Pedro would stay outside the voting center all day, rallying voters, keeping the peace, and being Maria's liaison to the rest of the 600K network. Inside, there were two tables with voting machines. Maria was the opposition witness at one table, and she had an ally, the woman who was the opposition witness at the other table.

She and Pedro got to the voting center around 4.15 a.m. Pedro would stay outside the voting center all day, rallying voters, keeping the peace, and being Maria's liaison to the rest of the 600K network. Inside, there were two tables with voting machines. Maria was the opposition witness at one table, and she had an ally, the woman who was the opposition witness at the other table.

From Maria's description, the two of them spent the day at their voting center playing tag team chess, a co-obstacle course. Hurdle number one. Maria's first argument with the other side was about how many witnesses would be allowed inside the voting center. Every accredited witness has two backup witnesses.

From Maria's description, the two of them spent the day at their voting center playing tag team chess, a co-obstacle course. Hurdle number one. Maria's first argument with the other side was about how many witnesses would be allowed inside the voting center. Every accredited witness has two backup witnesses.

Chavista meaning here a supporter of Maduro. Maduro is the successor to Hugo Chavez, so chavista.

Chavista meaning here a supporter of Maduro. Maduro is the successor to Hugo Chavez, so chavista.

Hurdle number two. On this election day, Maria's voting center had only two tables, even though in past elections it's had more.

Hurdle number two. On this election day, Maria's voting center had only two tables, even though in past elections it's had more.