#Venezuela is a dictatorship, yet today's elections still serve a clear purpose for the government and will shift the status quo in their favor.

Scholars of authoritarianism understand elections as a tool by which dictators consolidate power, especially through

1) establishment of domestic or intl legitimacy or
2) co-optation of groups that threaten the regime

The latter offers a better explanation of today's elections.

It's notable that as Venezuela loses its last vestiges of democracy today *the government doesn't seem to care*. It doesn't seem to be seeking international legitimation.

That is demonstrated by lack of interest in bringing intl electoral observers.

The government does, however, face varying levels of threats to its power from a) opposition groups, b) regime elites, and c) citizens or civil society groups. The election helps to mitigate those first two threats.

1. It eliminates Juan Guaidó's institutional power and obviously marks the end of any institution controlled by the opposition; this makes it harder to opposition deputies to organize and contest Chavismo.

2. The election divides the opposition along the boycott/participate axis--to say nothing of the domestic/international opposition axis--while also marking another step towards creating a "loyal" opposition group within the National Assembly.

3. This also helps Maduro consolidate his control over different factions *within* Chavismo (something he is constantly working at, as illustrated recently by August/September military purges and ministerial rotations).

Long story short: today, the Maduro govt is stronger than it has been at any point in the last two years. Tomorrow it will be stronger.

Meanwhile, Guaidó's claim to power is tenuous, the opposition is fragmented, and intl attention has shifted. It's tough to be optimistic.