The year 2024 is the year of hope for Venezuela, but it begins loaded with threats. Year of political-electoral decisions with democratic voting in a society of complete failure with several negative world records. We need negotiation and free voting to get out of this tragic reality and rescue democracy and the economy. National negotiation between those currently opposed so that the next presidential elections are not a farce controlled and manipulated from power. It is urgent to establish the date and the electoral schedule, the updating of the electoral registry so that three million excluded young people can vote, international observation, etc.
Those who are determined to remain in power have seen that in free and competitive presidential elections, defeat to María Corina Machado as the unifying candidate of the national will for change is inevitable. This puts them before the dilemma of opening up to a peaceful, reasonable and negotiated transition… or declaring war on that 90% of Venezuelans who need change, criminalizing the opposition, inventing conspiracies, persecuting leaders and activists and condemning the population to the permanence of the current state of misery. For this reason, around the liberating date of January 23, they activated ghosts of attacks to kill Maduro from power and intensified the persecution against active opponents. Hard and fast military and civil repression to spread fear and paralyze the opposition with the “Bolivarian Fury” and repressive use of the judicial and police-military power… The culminating point of this repressive mobilization was the ratification by its Supreme Court of Justice ( TSJ) of the disqualification of MCM for 15 years, with a verdict of pamphlet writing. We are not surprised by the arbitrary and unconstitutional disqualification (see art. 65 of the Const.) of María Corina and Henrique Capriles. With this they try to politically annul the undisputed candidate of the overwhelming majority of millions of Venezuelans. Thus they kill the democratic path arduously negotiated in Barbados between the government and the opposition leadership with international support and US politics, and they despise the will of the Venezuelan people. expressed in the opposition primaries and desired by 90% of the population. MCM was acclaimed and chosen as a candidate for the presidency to channel and guide the difficult path from the reigning slavery to the production of solutions where hope springs back and life grows again.
The Episcopal Conference at the beginning of this year in a concise and stark way expresses the feelings of Venezuelans: “It hurts and challenges us to see the suffering of the Venezuelan people in terms of health, education, food, low wages, corruption, etc., everything. “This constitutes a flagrant violation of human rights, which disregards their status as citizens and children of God.”
The TSJ’s decision is not surprising, but it is a very serious blow to the proper electoral path and national reconstruction. Fortunately, María Corina is and continues to be the candidate and the attempt to eliminate her has received clear rejection from citizen sentiment, from the Unitary Platform, from political parties, from democratic countries…: defend the free presidential election and go “to the end.” ” which is national, political, economic and social reconstruction. After this brutal dictatorial blockade, as the poet said, “there is no path as a walker,” but “the path is made by walking” with intelligent and flexible creativity. Now more united than ever and with more international support, maintaining the electoral route, defending free voting and opening paths of alliance for all democrats. A great challenge and the great task of MCM is to strengthen the democratic candidacy and invent unprecedented alliances and join forces to find paths without giving up the electoral route.
The regime is exhausted in its ability to create hope, but not in its repressive force. A tough year awaits us, but it would be national suicide to abstain from the election or give up dialogue for a political transition with democratic alternation in power, with mutual guarantees in a coexistence between those who come from the dictatorship and those who fight to reconquer the democracy. It is essential to hold a free presidential election this year and reactivate the climate of economic recovery that promotes millionaire international investment.
Venezuela free of disqualifications and international “sanctions” – especially from the US, because with them investments will continue to be paralyzed, there will be greater unemployment and informality and salaries will be starvation. Eliminating sanctions means a negotiated opening to a free and fluid relationship with the North American economy and attracting multimillion-dollar global investments, which we need and neither the State nor the national private sector has. A truly democratic and effective process for national reconstruction also requires returning the parties that were kidnapped by abusive power. Nothing that is not required by the current Venezuelan Constitution.
Now the relevant role of MCM is not eliminated, but enhanced. His indisputable talent and courage now require more creativity and flexibility for a national salvation agreement and a united and strengthened candidacy. To rebuild the country with a civilized transition process where enemies become competitors, give each other guarantees and possibilities to continue freely in political competition and socioeconomic activity. The opposite of the exclusive dictatorial will.
