Industrial engineer Maria Corina Machado declared victory during the night of Sunday (22) in the presidential primaries of the Venezuelan opposition, after having registered a large number of votes with just over a quarter of the counting completed.
The opposition held a contest to choose a unity candidate to face President Nicolás Maduro in his likely bid for re-election next year, amid promises from the United States to reverse sanctions relief if the government does not lift bans that prevent some opposition figures from holding office.
Machado, who has pledged to privatize state oil company PDVSA if elected president, was counting 93% of the vote, with more than 26% of ballots counted, the primaries organizing committee said around midnight on Sunday.
The count — delayed by a server block — was expected to continue this Monday (23). It was unclear when the results would be next updated.
Participation in the vote, organized without government help, was more than double what was expected in some states, despite the relocation of polling places, long lines and the lack of gasoline and public transportation in some areas.
Machado’s closest rival, former legislator Carlos Prosperi, had 4.75% of the vote. Machado, 56 years old, appeared with around 40 points ahead of his rivals in the polls.
Her ability to run in the general election remains uncertain as she remains barred from holding public office due to her support for sanctions against Maduro’s government.
Last week, the opposition and the government signed an electoral agreement that allows each side to choose its candidate according to internal rules, but without removing disqualifications.
The United States, which generally eased sanctions on oil and gas and Venezuelan bonds in response to the deal, said Maduro has until the end of November to begin lifting bans on the opposition and freeing political and North American prisoners. Americans “unjustly detained.”
Although five people have been released, Maduro’s government said last week that those with disqualifications cannot run in the 2024 race.
The opposition, which claims that disqualifications are illegal, has been reticent about what it would do if Machado won the primaries but was unable to run in 2024.
Machado said he could pressure electoral authorities to allow his registration, while others argued that a replacement would need to be chosen.
See also: “May the world prepare for Maduro’s defeat”, says leader of the Venezuelan opposition
Source: CNN Brasil
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