Venezuelan Presidential Frontrunner Machado Appealed Election Ban, US Says
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
(Bloomberg) -- Venezuelan opposition frontrunner María Corina Machado told a local court that there’s no ban that prevents her from running in next year’s presidential election.
Most Read from Bloomberg
Machado filed a claim and an injunction hours before the deadline of a period granted by the government for the opposition to contest restrictions on running for office.
Leaving court on Friday afternoon, Machado told reporters that she hadn’t appealed her ban, since she hasn’t so far been notified of one.
“This process that we carry out primarily intends to achieve the release of all political prisoners in Venezuela,” Machado said later from her party’s headquarters in Caracas. “The next few days and hours are crucial for these purposes.”
Earlier on Friday, Washington’s Venezuela Affairs Unit had said it applauded Machado and others “courage and willingness” to appeal their ineligibilities, and that Venezuela’s government must now “demonstrate their commitment to competitive and inclusive elections.”
Last month, Maduro opened a path for barred opposition candidates to get their disqualification lifted by appealing their cases in court by Dec. 15. The concession was granted under pressure by the US, which threatened to reimpose economic sanctions a little over a month after some of them were lifted.
Most recently, the Maduro government ordered the arrest of three top aides to Machado for their alleged involvement in a plot to sabotage a referendum on the disputed Essequibo region in Guyana. Roberto Abdul, a director at Sumate, a civic-action group that Machado founded, has already been arrested.
Machado is leading polls ahead of the presidential election scheduled for 2024. Her disqualification was ratified in late June until 2030. According to the Comptroller’s office, she was linked to several “corruption plots” headed by former opposition leader Juan Guaidó. They also accused her of complicity in the economic blockade and sanctions over Venezuela.
“They established a mechanism and commitments with the international community so that we can have clean and free elections, and we will do everything to have clean and free elections,” Machado said while leaving the court Friday afternoon.
(Updates with Machado’s comments in fourth, context in seventh paragraph)
Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek
©2023 Bloomberg L.P.
