Venezuela: María Corina Machado rules out abandoning presidential candidacy after confirming her disqualification

The opposition Maria Corina Machado This Monday she ruled out abandoning her presidential candidacy, following a court decision that makes her ineligible for this year’s presidential elections.

He Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ), from the official line, sealed on Friday disqualification politics for 15 years, which in practice would prevent him from participating in elections.

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“Nicolás Maduro will not choose the people’s candidate, because the people you have already chosen your candidateto see”he said Ax before his followers three days after the sentence, which he described as “grotesque decision”.

“I received the mandate of almost three million Venezuelans “who exercised popular sovereignty on October 22” in the primaries, which he won on October 22 (92% of the vote).

“I represent this greatest popular sovereignty. “They can’t hold elections without me.”he declared, at the same time ruling out the appointment of a replacement.

He TSJ made the decision within a mechanism created under pressure from U.S so that the disqualified candidates could contest the sanction, amidst the agreements signed in Barbados by the government and the opposition in a negotiation process that mediates Norway.

These agreements also include the signing of Presidential elections in the second semester – still without a date – with observation of the European Union and other international actors.

Maturein power since 2013, he did not confirm his candidacy although he appears as a natural candidate for the chavismo.

Political disqualifications are an old Chavismo weapon to get its rivals out of the way. They are imposed by Controllerauthorized by law to take action against employees under investigation, although the Constitution establishes that only a judicial decision “definitely firm” prevents him from aspiring to the presidency.

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“Never” reported

Machado had already been disqualified for a year in 2015 for appearing as “alternative ambassador” in Panama to a meeting of the Organization of American States, where he denounced alleged human rights violations during protests that year calling for “the departure” of Mature and left 40 dead.

But the sanction was extended to 15 years last June, at the height of his primary campaign.

O TSJ Political-Administrative Chamber validated the arguments of the Controller sanction the 56-year-old liberal politician for being “participant in the corruption plot”linked to the leader Juan Guaidóthat managed resources blocked abroad and “motivated the criminal blockade” It is “the shameful expropriation of companies and wealth of the Venezuelan people abroad”.

Machado states that “Never”was notified of the administrative act against her and much less was she able to access the defense.

The opposition delegation at the negotiating table demanded on Saturday that the decision be reversed and announced that it would denounce the situation before Norwayas well as before the governments of France, Colombia and Brazil, also involved in dialogue process.

Although the government representation considers the decision as “Thing judged” and turn the page Ax. “We won’t have wet rain again”he noted on Saturday, Jorge Rodríguezof this delegation.

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EU “very concerned”

The European Union showed itself on Monday “very worried” by the decision of the superior court, which also ratified a disqualification against the two-time presidential champion Henry Capriles.

“Decisions aimed at preventing opposition members from exercising their fundamental political rights cannot but undermine the democracy and the rule of law”he indicated in a statement.

The constitutional lawyer, Juan Manuel Rafalliexplained to AFP that Ax it could “Initiate constitutional protection action against that decision or demand the annulment of the administrative act.”

“But this is a political problem, it is not a political problem legal problem”he insists. “If there is no power Independent judiciaryautonomous (…) you will never get a favorable answer.”

Dialogue between the government and the opposition began in August 2021 and was halted twice, before the agreement was signed in Barbados. Neither party has expressed any intention to Get up from the table for now.

Source: Elcomercio

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I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.