caracas president nicolas maduro set sight venezuela 2018 presidential election rule socialist party dominate mayoral poll help partial boycott divide opposition enjoy political breather year ferocious domestic protest damage foreign sanction 55-year-old successor hugo chavez say government least 90 percent 335 mayorships sunday election late official result give 21 23 state capitals well caracas main district full result due late monday landslide win socialists surprise give three big opposition party field candidates elections leave maduro favorite socialist candidate next year presidential race despite ambition rival within government economic crisis pummel opec nation since 2013 election let get ready 2018 tell cheer supporters caracas square shortly midnight sunday next statue venezuela independence hero simon bolivar maduro also declare fix venezuela break economy priority opponents even government dissenters say stubborn adherence chavez-era economic policies currency control blame crisis venezuela 30 million people endure one bad economic meltdowns recent latin american history millions skip meals miss medicine line hours shop acute shortages cripple inflation opposition party say sunday vote full irregularities meaningless reiterate demand change electoral system 2018 vote saw yesterday electoral farce way represent people say popular party leader juan andres mejia cite abuse state resources coercion government employees vote maduro well-positioned re-election three opposition coalition main party popular justice first democratic action boycott sunday poll say election board pawn government opposition party put candidates add confusion acrimony within opposition rank maduro say three abstain party ban participate future elections bring rebuke u.s. state department call remark another extreme measure close democratic space venezuela consolidate power authoritarian dictatorship venezuela presidential election traditionally hold december speculation political circle bring forward first half 2018 socialists take advantage opposition disarray despite regime economic incompetence inherent weaknesses maduro authoritarianism well position achieve re-election next year say nicholas watson teneo intelligence consultancy popular leaders bar leopoldo lopez arrest henrique capriles prohibit office opposition may struggle find flagbearer unite party reignite enthusiasm among despondent grassroots supporters also huge challenge street protest early 2017 put pressure maduro leave 125 people dead foreign pressure harden u.s. president donald trump impose sanction venezuela allege government right abuse corruption yet face demonstrators push controversial legislative superbody july vote also boycott opposition notch majority october gubernatorial poll maduro ride storm think current government fix things allow get say mechanic melix jordan 56 vote government rural part paraguana social discontent run deep however sign far alternative presidential candidate despite call quarter popular billionaire businessman lorenzo mendoza run vote maybe change anything say gardener hector machado 64 vote opposition tachira state still hope something good next year buoy mayoral vote venezuela socialists eye presidency race