The United States asked Venezuela this Monday to take “new steps” towards democratic presidential elections after the opposition primaries in which the anti-Chavista María Corina Machado won despite being disqualified.
Joe Biden’s Administration softened sanctions on Venezuela last week, but warned that it will reconsider its decision in November if Machado’s disqualification is not lifted or the Americans detained “arbitrarily” in the Caribbean country are not released.
«We congratulate the Venezuelan people for the successful celebration of the primary elections on October 22. “Venezuelans united inside and outside the country to exercise their rights in search of a democratic future for their country,” a State Department spokesperson told EFE about Machado’s victory.
At the same time, the spokesperson recalled that, after the electoral roadmap agreed last week in Barbados between the Government and the Venezuelan opposition, the United States conveyed to the Executive of Nicolás Maduro its “expectation that Venezuela will take new measures before the end of November”.
He explained that the recent release of six “political prisoners” was “an important first step” to fulfill the obligations established in the road map.
And he stressed that after this Sunday’s primaries, the United States “expects to see new steps to guarantee that the 2024 presidential elections are free, fair and competitive.”
Former deputy María Corina Machado, disqualified from elected office, swept the opposition primaries for the 2024 presidential election with nearly 93% of the votes, according to the first official bulletin.
Last July, the Comptroller’s Office indicated that the disqualification imposed on Machado in 2015 for a property investigation, which at the time was said to last one year, will be extended until 2030. EFE
2023-10-24 04:08:23
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