The Supreme Court of Venezuela confirmed on Friday January 26 the ineligibility for 15 years of two opposition heavyweights: Henrique Capriles and Maria Corina Machado.
4 mins
Maria Corina Machado, who handily won the Venezuelan opposition primary for the 2024 presidential election, and Henrique Capriles, another opponent and already a two-time presidential candidate, are currently out of the race. The Supreme Court of Venezuela, often accused of being at the orders of power, validated this Friday, January 26 their ineligibility for future elections.
On the one hand, the Court indicated in a judgment that Henrique Capriles Radonski is disqualified for 15 years from the exercise of public functions. The latter was declared ineligible for alleged administrative irregularities when he was governor of Miranda State.
“ What they will never be able to disqualify is the Venezuelan people’s aspiration for change. The dream of having a country where the Constitution and laws are equal and respected by all. Where the government takes care of ensuring the well-being and quality of life of the population (…). 2024 must be the year of the Venezuelan people », Reacted the opponent on X.
Whatever may disable is the feeling of cambio of the Venezuelans. The reason for holding a country whose Constitution and its eyes are equal and respected by all. Donde el Gobierno takes care of the well-being and quality of life for people. Donde llegar a viejo sea un… https://t.co/zyFKQCZ9gH
— Henrique Capriles R. (@hcapriles) January 26, 2024
Henrique Capriles came second in the 2012 election behind former president Hugo Chavez, and again second in the presidential election in 2013, behind the current president, Nicolas Maduro, Chavez’s designated heir. He also mentioned his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election, but ultimately withdrew during the primaries won handily by Maria Corina Machado.
“We will go to the end “, says Maria Corina Machado
Likewise, Maria Corina Machado, 56 years old, “ is disqualified for 15 years », wrote the Court, which ruled “ nothing “ the candidate’s request challenging her ineligibility for alleged corruption and treason, after having supported American sanctions against the government of Nicolas Maduro. The opposition has always refused these sanctions, believing that Maria Corina Machado was innocent.
Current President Nicolas Maduro takes the “ worst path » towards « fraudulent elections “, reacted Ms. Machado, after the decision of the Supreme Court. “ It will not happen. Let no one doubt it, we will go to the end “, she said on the X network. “ The regime decided to put an end to the Barbados agreement. What is NOT over is our fight to win democracy through free and fair elections “, she added.
The regime decided to accept the Acuerdo de Barbados.
That NO is our aim for the conquest of democracy through free and clean elections.
Maduro and his criminal system escogieron el peor camino para ellos: unas elecciones fraudulentas. Eso no going to…
— María Corina Machado (@MariaCorinaYA) January 26, 2024
Also accused of administrative irregularities, Maria Corina Machado was declared ineligible for a year in 2015 for having participated as Panama’s alternate ambassador in a meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS). The Venezuelan has also already seen the duration of her ineligibility extended to 15 years in June 2023, for having “ requested the application of sanctions » American.
Despite her ineligibility, she received more than 2 million votes (92% of the vote) during the opposition primaries in October, and many observers believe that this liberal, renowned for her combativeness, could be capable of rallying an opposition behind her. often divided in the past against Nicolas Maduro.
Barbados Agreement
This decision by the Court was eagerly awaited by the political class. The agreement between power and opposition, signed in Barbados in October 2023, notably opened up the possibility for those “ aspiring to introduce himself » in the 2024 presidential election, to contest their ineligibility. It is in this context that Maria Corina Machado filed an appeal against the Court’s verdict of June 2023 on her own ineligibility. The Barbados agreement also provides that the presidential election in the country will be held in the second half of 2024, with the presence of international observers. The United States had announced a six-month relaxation of their sanctions following these agreements.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who also announcement run for president of 2024 yesterday, estimated Thursday that these agreements of Barbados with the opposition were “ wounded to death », after the authorities announced in recent days that they had foiled plots aimed at assassinating the head of state.
The opposition – which boycotted the 2018 presidential election – and the United States have made the lifting of opponents’ ineligibility one of their main priorities. The Venezuelan government has often used this stratagem to sideline rivals, both at the national and local levels. The lifting of this ineligibility of opponents is also one of the main sticking points in the negotiations between government and opposition.
Read alsoVenezuela: families of political prisoners demand their release
(With AFP)