Machado will be an opposition candidate for the presidency of Venezuela; ruling party alleges fraud

The former Venezuelan legislator Maria Corina Machado was proclaimed on Thursday by the National Primary Commission (CNP) as the winner of the internal opposition election to face the official candidate, almost certainly the president, in the second half of 2024. Nicolas Maduro.

The 56-year-old industrial engineer won the race with 93% of the votes, according to the latest bulletin of the CNP. Machado held a meeting with diplomats at the headquarters of his party, which sparked harsh criticism from the government, which alleges that the opposition primary was fraudulent.

The president of parliament, Jorge Rodriguezmet with diplomats at the Foreign Ministry on Thursday, demanding that they not intervene in internal politics.

“We tell you with all respect, with concern, a meeting that took place between some people belonging to a political group and some ambassadors, with all due respect we ask you for restraint (…) do not interfere in the internal affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela“, held.

Rodriguez He ratified before the diplomats his complaints that the opposition primary cannot be considered an election because the electoral body did not participate and added that the electoral process fails to comply with the agreement signed last week in Barbados between the government and the opposition.

For his part, Machado said that there is also a violation of the Barbados electoral agreement due to the investigation into the process announced on Wednesday by the Attorney General’s Office.

“I do not dare to talk about judicialization (of the primary election). We cannot anticipate events that clearly constitute a violation of the Barbados agreements, without a doubt. Let’s hope this doesn’t happen“, said Machado after the proclamation act.

The Government and the opposition signed an electoral agreement, which in addition to stating that the presidential elections will be in the second half of 2024, said that each party could choose its candidate according to internal rules, but did not remove the prohibitions on opponents, including Machadoto hold public office.

On Wednesday, the Attorney General’s Office announced an investigation into the president of the commission, Jesús María Casal, and other members of the body for the alleged crimes of fraud, usurpation of electoral functions and money laundering, among others.