Venezuela’s ruling party tests its organizing efforts ahead of next month’s presidential election

By REGINA GARCIA CANO
Associated Press

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela’s ruling party is feeling its decades-long grip on power under threat. So on Sunday, it tested a voter organizing campaign aimed at shoring up President Nicolás Maduro’s bid for a third term. The assessment followed weeks of efforts by local organizers of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela to increase support for Maduro. Each was tasked with adding into a database 10 voters who have promised to vote for Maduro in the highly anticipated July 28 presidential election. Local organizers as well as voters who pledged their support were expected to receive verification phone calls Sunday. The effort to measure support comes as the party’s base is no longer the reliable force that used to easily claim electoral victories,