The Neighborhood Force (Spanish: Fuerza Vecinal; FV) is a centrist and localist Venezuelan political party, founded by a group of mayors and political leaders of the country on June 26, 2021. The party governs throughout eastern Caracas — in the municipalities Baruta, El Hatillo, Los Salias and Chacao— less in the Sucre Municipality. The party also governs the municipalities Diego Bautista Urbaneja and Maneiro, in eastern Venezuela.

Neighborhood Force
Fuerza Vecinal
AbbreviationFV
PresidentGustavo Duque
General SecretaryMáximo Sánchez
Founded26 June 2021 (2021-06-26)
Split fromJustice First
HeadquartersCapital District, Caracas
IdeologyBig tent
Localism
Progressivism
Political positionCentre
Colours  Blue
  White
  Dark blue
National Assembly
0 / 277
Mayors
10 / 335
Governors
1 / 23
Party flag
Website
fuerzavecinal.com

Ideology

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The party defines itself as "a democratic political organization, a humanistic, plural and inclusive center that is born from the neighbors for the neighbors."[1] In addition, the party claims to defend electoral participation, gender equality, feminism, sexual diversity, environmental care and freedom of expression on its website, also promoting neighborhood organization for the contribution and development of the municipal government.[1]

History

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On June 26, 2021, the mayor of Chacao, Gustavo Duque, gathered in the Plaza Altamira in Caracas with the mayors León Jurado of San Diego, Elías Sayegh of El Hatillo, Josy Fernández of Los Salias, Morel Rodríguez of Maneiro, Gustavo Delgado of San Cristóbal, Leonel Cegarra of Andrés Bello, and Darwin González of Baruta announced the creation of the FV party.[2][3]

The party was created mainly as a unitary card of the opposition mayors and political leaders for the 2021 regional elections, in case the Democratic Unity Roundtable declined to participate.[4] The party not only nominated candidates for mayors, councilors and legislative councils, but it also nominated former Baruta councilor David Uzcátegui for the governorship of Miranda.[5][6]

In August 2021, Neighborhood Force promoted the holding of primary elections to elect unitary candidates for the 2021 regional elections.[7] David Uzcátegui proposed a primary together with Carlos Ocariz, candidate of Justice First, who has the support of the Democratic Unity Roundtable.[7] The party also began a collection of signatures to demonstrate the alleged support of the population for the organization of the opposition primaries.[7] Ocariz and Uzcátegui agreed to carry out four surveys of the Mirandian population, and whoever won more than three was the unit candidate for the MUD.[8] Uzcátegui won three of the polls, although Ocariz refused to acknowledge his victory and refused to give up his candidacy.[9] Finally, on November 11, 2021, Ocariz withdrew in favor of Uzcátegui, positioning Fuerza Vecinal as Miranda's largest party, both in terms of mayors in office and in candidacies.[10][11]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Conócenos – Fuerza Vecinal" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-10-30.
  2. ^ Globovision. "Alcaldes opositores conforman partido "Fuerza Vecinal"". Globovisión. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  3. ^ "Alcaldes opositores conformaron el partido "Fuerza Vecinal"". Últimas Noticias (in Spanish). 2021-06-28. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  4. ^ "Estos son los partidos poco conocidos que participarán el #21N". TalCual (in Spanish). 2021-08-28. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  5. ^ "El Estímulo | Elecciones regionales: David Uzcátegui inicia su campaña por Miranda". elestimulo.com (in Spanish). 29 May 2021. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  6. ^ Nacional, El (2021-05-29). "David Uzcátegui: "Miranda, mi razón de estar en la lucha política"". EL NACIONAL (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  7. ^ a b c "Fuerza Vecinal a plataforma unitaria: No aceptaremos imposiciones de candidaturas". Efecto Cocuyo. 2021-08-17. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  8. ^ "Ocariz y Uzcátegui se disputan la candidatura a la gobernación de Miranda en guerra de encuestas". Crónica Uno (in Spanish). 2021-09-03. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  9. ^ Globovision. "David Uzcátegui gana las encuestas para la gobernación de Miranda frente a Ocariz". Globovisión. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  10. ^ "Ocariz retiró su candidatura a la Gobernación de Miranda". El Diario | eldiario.com (in Spanish). 2021-11-11. Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  11. ^ "Ocariz retira su candidatura a la Gobernación de Miranda: "La gente exige coherencia" (+video)". ALnavío (in Spanish). 2021-11-11. Retrieved 2021-11-11.