Leading in early results, Machado claims win in Venezuelan opposition’s presidential primary
Venezuelans have shown their strong desire for an alternative to the decade-long, crisis-ridden presidency of Nicolás Maduro. On Sunday, they thronged voting centers set up for a primary election independently Venezuelan opposition leader, Maria Eugenio Machado, claimed victory in the opposition's presidential primary. However, the National Primary Commission, which organized the event, attributed internet censorship to delays in releasing early results. In the first 601,110 ballots counted, about 93% of them chose Machado. While the government has agreed to allow the opposition to choose its candidate for the 2024 presidential election, it has also barred Machado from running for office. State television falsely accused the opposition’s primary for not having “witnesses” and failed to mention that some elections have also taken place without independent oversight. If Machado is declared the winner, it will be determined by whether the government reverses its ban on her seeking public office.
Publicerad : 2 år sedan förbi REGINA GARCIA CANO - Associated Press, regina garcia cano i Politics World
But that assessment is far from reality. Venezuelans in and outside their homeland gathered at voting centers, braved weather conditions and waited in for hours to be able to vote. They downloaded apps to circumvent internet censorship and helped each other find their voting center. They carried umbrellas, folding stools and coffee to ease the wait and flags to add a patriotic feel to the event.
The National Primary Commission, which organized the primary, blamed internet censorship for only being able to release one set of early results long after polling stations had closed. The organizers said that in the first 601,110 ballots counted, about 93% picked Machado, who had entered the vote as a strong front-runner.
“Today, very powerful forces have been unleashed,” Machado told supporters gathered outside her campaign headquarters in the capital, Caracas. “Today, we have shown ourselves what we are capable of doing in the face of all the obstacles, in the face of all the abuses.”
While the administration agreed in principle to let the opposition choose its candidate for the 2024 presidential election, it also has already barred Machado from running for office. Maduro’s government has in the past bent the law, retaliated against opponents and breached agreements as it sees fit.
Caracas resident Stephanie Aguilar, 34, cried while she waited to vote. She described the primary as the only “salvation” for her country, her daughter and son, and the millions of Venezuelans who decided they had to emigrate due to the nation’s economic and political turmoil.
“We want a better country, a free country, for my children ... who have grown up in this government,” Aguilar, a housewife, said as she wiped tears from her face. “They ask, ‘Mom, can we go out to eat?’ No, there is no money. ‘Mom, can we do this thing?’ No, there is no money. It is unfortunate that a society grows up under those conditions.”
State television on Monday falsely accused the opposition’s primary for not having “witnesses.” It also tried to discredit the contest for a lack of electoral “observers,” but it failed to mention that some elections run by the National Electoral Council have also taken place without independent oversight.
If organizers declare Machado the primary’s winner, the focus will shift to Maduro to see if the government reverses its ban on her seeking public office. In June, the government issued an administrative decision prohibiting Machado from running, alleging fraud and tax violations and accusing her of seeking the economic sanctions the U.S. imposed on Venezuela in the last decade.