BOGOTA.- The former president of Colombia, Ivan DuqueI affirm that Nicolas Maduro intends to “make an electoral imitation” to continue with the “dictatorship that it has exercised for years” by giving its opinion on the schedule for the elections. presidential elections in Venezuela which was recently announced by the National Electoral Council (CNE).
In an interview for the La Gran Aldea portal, Duque drew attention to the “little preparation time” that prevents “offering guarantees and controls” for the elections, after the CNE announced that the Elections will be on July 28 of this year.
The announcement came four days after the Chavista National Assembly delivered a document to the CNE on the conditions of the next presidential elections.
The document was not signed by the main opposition coalition, the Democratic Unitary Platform, whose candidate, Maria Corina Machado, was disqualified in June 2023 by the Comptroller General’s Office from holding public office for 15 years. Machado won the opposition primaries last October with a large majority of more than 90% of the votes.
When announcing the date of the elections, the CNE made no reference to what will happen to Machado’s candidacy or that of other opposition names who are also disqualified.
At the end of last January, the Supreme Court of Justice, controlled by the regime, ratified the disqualification of Machado, which says it does not recognize that resolution.
According to the Comptroller General’s Office, the former legislator had participated in a corruption plot orchestrated by opposition leader Juan Guaidó, who proclaimed himself interim president in 2019 when he headed the National Assembly. The Comptroller’s Office did not present evidence. But Machado was not part of the National Assembly chaired by Guaidó and was among his harshest critics.
This Monday, The CNE confirmed that Machado is prohibited from holding public officewhich prevents him from competing in the presidential elections on July 28 and in other elections until 2036.
“This voter is prohibited from exercising public office or function, in accordance with the provisions of the current constitutional and legal regulations,” says a note from the CNE that presents Machado’s data in the Electoral Registry that is available in the agency website.
In Duke’s opinion, Maduro “has curtailed the legitimate right and validated by the people of María Corina Machado to be the candidate of the democratic resistancewhich demonstrates his intention to make an electoral imitation to continue with the dictatorship he has exercised for years.”
In that sense, He considered it “fundamental” that international sanctions against Maduro be “resumed” and his regime, which were partially lifted by the US after the signing of the Barbados agreement last year.
“It seems essential to me that the international community wakes up, resumes as many sanctions as possible against the regime,” said Duque, adding that the international community must also speak out “clearly and categorically on the invalidity that the elections of the 28th could have.” of July, if the abuses and injustices continue”.
The former president asked that it be clear that with the holding of the elections called for July 28, in which the democratic opposition will not participate with its candidate María Corina Machado, but there will be opposition to Maduro’s measure, the latter that “he is seeking is legitimacy and that electoral calendar is illegitimate, just as the structure of electoral power in Venezuela is illegitimate. Everything is a great manipulation; and I believe that those who, mistakenly, are believing in the siren songs, then leave to repent,” Duque said in reference to the statements of the presidents of Brazil, Luis Ignacio “Lula” Da Silva, and Spain, Pedro Sánchez, who celebrated the call announced last week by the CNE.
According to the CNE schedule, candidacies can be presented between March 21 and 25 and the campaign will run from July 4 to 25.
To participate in the elections, new voters must register between March 18 and April 16.
It is feared that the proximity of the election date and the established deadlines, including the limited margin to register candidates, will affect the competitiveness of the elections.
Source: With information from La Gran Aldea / Infobae / AP
