the Supreme Court confirms the ineligibility of two opponents

Marina Corina Machado, who won the Venezuelan opposition primary in October, and Henrique Capriles, former opposition candidate in the 2012 and 2013 elections, were excluded from the race by the courts.

Two opposition candidates rejected by Venezuelan justice. Maria Corina Machado, who handily won the Venezuelan opposition primary for the 2024 presidential election, and Henrique Capriles, unsuccessful candidate in 2012 against former president Hugo Chavez, who died in 2013, then against the current President Nicolas Maduro, are currently out of the race. The Supreme Court of Venezuela, often accused of being at the behest of those in power, confirmed their ineligibility on Friday January 26.

Maria Corina Machado, 56 years old, “is disqualified for 15 years”, writes the Court. She thus judges “nothing” the request of the candidate, who contested her ineligibility for administrative irregularities and treason, after having supported American sanctions against the government of Nicolas Maduro. The current president takes the “worst path” towards “fraudulent elections”reacted Maria Machado. “That will not happen. Let no one doubt it, we will go all the way”she said on the network X.

Convicted for administrative irregularities

Accused of administrative irregularities, Maria Corina Machado had already been declared ineligible for a year in 2015 for having participated as“alternate ambassador” of Panama at a meeting of the Organization of American States. Panama had invited her to allow her to denounce alleged human rights violations during demonstrations demanding the departure of Nicolas Maduro. The repression left around forty dead. Despite her ineligibility, she received more than 2 million votes (92% of the vote) during the opposition primaries organized in October 2023.

For his part, Henrique Capriles, who had given up participating in the opposition primaries, also saw his ineligibility confirmed for 15 years, due to alleged administrative irregularities when he was governor of the state of Miranda. “What they will never be able to disqualify is the aspiration for change of the Venezuelan people. The dream of having a country where the Constitution and the laws are equal and respected by all. Where the government takes care of ensure the well-being and quality of life of the population (…). 2024 must be the year of the Venezuelan people”he reacted on X.