Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro will officially submit his candidacy for re-election to the National Electoral Council on Monday, accused by many of being under the orders of those in power and of wanting to prevent the candidacies of the opposition led by Maria Corina Machado.
The deadline for candidate registration is Monday and the opposition still does not know whether it will be able to present a candidate in the presidential election on July 28, in a complex and changing electoral landscape.
Green light for Maduro
Nicolas Maduro, invested by the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) of which he is president, will go with great fanfare to the CNE on Monday to formalize his candidacy for a third six-year term.
The Venezuelan president intends to make a show of force and thousands of supporters, surrounded by a significant security presence, should accompany him to the CNE.
Photo released by the Venezuelan presidency of President Nicolas Maduro (d) greeting his supporters upon his arrival at a congress to announce his candidacy with the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) at Poliedro stadium, on March 16, 2024 in Caracas / MARCELO GARCIA / Venezuelan presidency/AFP/Archives
“Here there is only one destiny: the victory of the people (…), whatever they (the opposition and enemies) did, whatever they said, they could not and will never be able to beat us,” he said last week.
Nicolas Maduro, 61, is the heir of “Chavismo”, the doctrine of his predecessor Hugo Chavez (1999-2013) for a “socialism of the 21st century” based on nationalizations, a strong presence of the State and the military apparatus.
More than 60 countries, including the United States and those of the EU, had not recognized the legitimacy of his re-election in 2018, boycotted by the opposition.
Red light for Machado
Her rival Ms. Machado won hands down the primaries of the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD) coalition, and seemed to be able to rally the entire opposition behind her.
But she was declared ineligible, accused by the authorities of corruption and of supporting a foreign invasion of the country. Accusations that she has always denied.
Corina Yoris, replacement for the next elections of Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado deemed ineligible, speaks during a press conference in Caracas, March 22, 2024 / Federico Parra / AFP
To compensate for this ineligibility, on Friday she appointed an unknown person with the same first name to replace her: Corina Yoris, an 80-year-old philosopher and university professor.
“We will fight this fight together,” said Ms. Machado, who will remain the face of the campaign. “I will continue to travel throughout Venezuela, bringing strength and hope to every corner of the country.”
However, as of Sunday evening, the PUD had still not managed to register Ms. Yoris. Same observation for Manuel Rosales, governor of the oil state of Zulia, candidate for president in 2006 and who also aspires to confront Maduro.
Corina x 2
“#CorinaChallenge”, “Corina power 2”, “2 times Corina”… Social networks exploded after the announcement of the “Corinas”.
“I think it is an honor to be the +delegate candidate+, the +representative candidate+, and I hope that I will be able to respond to the trust that has been placed in me,” Ms. Yoris told the website La Gran Aldea.
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado during a press conference at her party headquarters, March 20, 2024 in Caracas / Federico Parra / AFP/Archives
Analysts are, however, skeptical about the possibility of presenting this unknown which frightens those in power. According to them, he intends to favor a “drinkable” candidacy for his chances, less linked to Ms. Machado and therefore easier to beat.
“The PUD holds permanent meetings of evaluation, discussion and decision,” confided an opposition leader, Delsa Solorzano, without wanting to confirm that the opposition is looking for a plan C after plan B Yoris.
The consensus, however, is that any candidate must have Machado’s endorsement. “The true unity of the parties is unity with the people, this is the only way to defeat Maduro,” emphasizes Ms. Machado.
Access blocked
For the moment the opposition is coming up against an administrative wall.
The first step for a candidate is to go through the CNE website. However, the opposition claims not to have received the access codes to be able to register the application.
The president of the CNE, Elvis Amoroso, during a meeting to hand over documents for the nomination of candidates for the Venezuelan presidential election, March 24, 2024 in Caracas / Federico PARRA / AFP
In a letter sent to the electoral body on Sunday, the PUD requested “a three-day extension of the deadline for nominating candidates, to remedy factual and legal problems.”
The CNE has granted extensions in the past but once this step has been taken, it must then validate the application. And many observers believe it is possible that the CNE will not accept a candidacy that could displease those in power.
The final list of candidates for this single-round ballot will not be available before the end of April.
