Maduro opponent accuses government of “ignoring” Venezuelans’ rights

The leader of the Venezuelan opposition, María Corina Machado, stated this Tuesday (6) that the government of President Nicolás Maduro “intends to ignore” the rights of Venezuelans, after the National Electoral Council (CNE) announced the date of the presidential elections in the South American country, which will take place on July 28th.

Venezuela's Supreme Constitutional Court disqualified Machado's candidacy at the end of January last year, alleging that Machado did not include the payment of food bonuses in his sworn declaration of assets. Maduro's opponent maintains that the disqualification is illegal.

“We have strength and they know it,” Machado said during a rally in Mérida, northwest Venezuela. “They intend to ignore the rights of Venezuelans,” he added, before asking his supporters for “serenity and firmness.”

Through her X account, formerly Twitter, the opposition leader added that her commitment is “to achieve clean elections and with the strength of the people we will make this possible”.

In turn, opposition leader Juan Guaidó expressed his support for Machado through his social networks. He stressed that on March 21st, the date on which the candidates' presentations before the CNE begin, “all of Venezuela” will accompany the candidate.

According to the calendar presented Tuesday by the CNE, candidate presentations will be received between March 21st and 25th, meaning the opposition has 20 days to decide how it will proceed in these elections. The electoral campaign is scheduled to last 21 days, between July 4th and 25th.

Machado won the primary election in October 2023 with more than 90% of the vote.

Holding presidential elections in the second half of 2024 is part of the Barbados Agreements that the Maduro Government and the opposition signed in October last year.