Caracas — Venezuelans, reeling under a devastating economic crisis, began voting on Sunday in an election boycotted by the opposition and condemned by much of the international community but expected to hand deeply unpopular President Nicolas Maduro a new mandate. Maduro, political heir to late leftist firebrand Hugo Chavez, has presided over an implosion of the once wealthy oil producer’s economy since taking office in 2013. Hyperinflation, food and medicine shortages, rising crime and broken water, power and transport networks have sparked discontent and violent unrest among Venezuelans. But the 55-year-old former bus driver is expected to easily defeat main rival Henri Falcon, a former army officer and state governor who has failed to gain the endorsement of the main opposition leaders, and evangelical candidate Javier Bertucci. Wearing a bright red shirt that identifies him as a "Chavista," the president arrived early at a Caracas polling station with his wife, Cilia Flores, and...
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