Less than three hours before the polls closed in the European nation, the Information Center of the Central Electoral Commission reported that 81.50 percent of the participants who were supposed to vote had already made their choice at the polls.

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The correspondent of teleSUR in Belarus, Oleg Yasynsky, reported that the day is going smoothly. Early morning voters, including many seniors, and in the afternoon youth and families were active, according to Yasynsky.

TeleSUR’s correspondant pointed out that Belarusians value President Aleksandr Lukashenka for saving the country from the neoliberal policies of Central Europe after the fall of the USSR, as well as the standard of living compared to other European nations, despite Western sanctions.

According to national laws, the elections will be valid as long as more than half of the voters included in the lists of citizens entitled to vote participate.

In addition to Lukashenko, the presidency is contested by Oleg Gaidukévich from the Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus; Alexandr Jizhniak, president of the Republican Party of Labor and Justice; Sergei Sirankov, first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Belarus; and independent candidate Anna Kanopátskaya.

In a press conference of approximately four hours, the president addressed key issues such as the search for peace in central Europe, urging Poland and neighbouring countries to act against armed groups that threaten stability.

Also, he highlighted the historic cooperation with Venezuela, highlighting significant projects since the era of Hugo Chávez, and expressed commitment to continue strengthening trade relations with Caribbean nations such as Cuba and Nicaragua, as well as Brazil, where there is interest in Belarusian products.

Lukashenko, in relation to the new administration of Donald Trump in the United States, does not anticipate changes in US policy and suggests that one should downplay Trump’s statements, which he considers aimed at generating media attention.

Recognizes the influence of the US in its relationship with Russia and other countries such as China and India, but stresses that although the US has a strong interest in the Russian Federation, the United States is not a party to the World Trade Organization. represents one third of the world’s GDP, the rest being grouped in a block including Russia, China and India.

He also points out that many African countries have begun to act more independently from Washington and emphasizes that the US internal problems are not only a matter of national policy. must be resolved within the country, stating that Belarus has a clear place in the world.

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