The Venezuelan opposition registered two candidates for the presidential electionsafter days of obstacles, with the challenge of arriving united on July 28 to face President Nicolás Maduro, who aspires to his third six-year term. The main opposition coalitionthe Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), He reported that his access to register his candidate Corina Yoris was blockedappointed by María Corina Machado as her representative due to her inability to attend due to a disqualification that prevents her from holding public office for 15 years.
13 candidates in the race
Manuel Rosalesgovernor of the oil state of Zulia and rival of Hugo Chávez in 2006, formalized his candidacy before the National Electoral Council (CNE) at the close of the five-day deadline to submit applications through an automated system. The president of the CNE, Elvis Amoroso, presented this Tuesday a list of the 13 candidates and parties registered in these elections, which included Rosales and his party, Un Nuevo Tiempo (UNT).
Amoroso also mentioned the name of the former ambassador Edmundo González Urrutia as the nominee for the Democratic Unity Table (MUD), an old alliance absorbed by the current Unitary Platform that has its own electoral ballot. The PUD explained in a statement that it “provisionally” registered González Urrutia “given the clear impossibility of registering the chosen candidate so far” (by Yoris), in order to “preserve the exercise of the political rights that correspond to him.” to your organization.
González Urrutia, ambassador to Argentina between 1998 and 2002, He may be replaced as of next April 1, provided that he does not have any administrative sanction or impediment contemplated by law, and the CNE admits the candidacy that replaces him. The formula of nominating a provisional candidate is common in Venezuela and aims to guarantee a place on the electoral ballot.
The acceptance of a candidacy from the Unitary Platform coincides with the concern expressed by Maduro’s allied governments such as Colombia and Brazil, a position that was described by the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry as “interference.” The normally critical United States was also concerned, which was a protagonist in the negotiations towards the elections in which the opposition unsuccessfully requested the authorization of Machado, a favorite in the polls.
Machado insists with Yoris
Although he was unable to register it, Maria Corina Machado This Tuesday it redoubled its commitment to Corina Yoris, an 80-year-old philosopher and university professor. “What we warned about for many months ended up happening: the regime chose its candidates“, the former representative concluded without mentioning Rosales, of whom she was critical in the past.
“My candidate is Corina Yoris”he stressed Machadowho swept last year in the primaries of the Unitary Platform with more than 90 percent of the votes, and to whom polls show a favorable voting intention against Maduro. “Here, no one takes us off the electoral route,” warned the former deputy, whose support is crucial for the opposition unity candidate.
Also an opponent, Leopoldo López saw in the registration of Manuel Rosales “at 11:59” a new chapter in the service of Maduro, planned “with stealth, lies and betrayal.” López, who represents Voluntad Popular, called Maduro a “shithole,” pointing out that “he is afraid of the people and women” and ended up orchestrating “a cast of mediocre and sold-out candidates, all men, to set up an election tailored to him.” “.
In a press conference, Rosales assured that he defended Yoris’ candidacy until the last moment and that he presented his candidacy to represent an alternative to Chavismo. “We offered the card to Corina Yoris, we complied, but we could not close the door to Venezuelans to express themselves,” said Rosales, alluding to a vacuum of representation that could be taken advantage of by the Venezuelan government.
Candidacy sung
Maduro, who aspires to remain in power for 18 years, registered his candidacy on Monday with great fanfare and without restrictions. In addition to Maduro and Rosales, the former electoral rector Enrique Márquez, who was part of the opposition coalition but now calls himself independent, ran, along with nine other candidates who present themselves as anti-Chavistas, although they are branded by the traditional opposition as “scorpions,” a term used for appoint collaborators from the ruling party.
Maduro denounced that two armed men whom he linked to Machado’s partyVente Venezuela, They were arrested at a government demonstration and accused of terrorism and attempted assassination. Seven leaders of that group, which called these allegations “unfounded,” were arrested in recent days and the Public Ministry issued arrest warrants against another seven.
The Attorney General of the Republic, Tarek William Saab, expressed: “The consecutive chain of events is impressive, each one worse than the other, where it has been desperately sought to generate violence to provoke destabilizing street actions, which “happened in the first quarter of the year.” The detainees were identified as Jerry Ostos Perdomo and Carlos Eduardo Castillo. Saab said that both were 20 meters from the presidential platform “in a suspicious attitude and carrying firearms.”
