Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during the announcement of his presidential campaign staff in the Hotel Humboldt, Caracas, Friday, May 17, 2024. Photo: X/@NicolasMaduro.
“We are taking an important step to advance in the face of the threat our people suffer every day to win the battle of July 28,” said Maduro.
This Thursday, President Nicolás Maduro announced the “Venezuela Nuestra” [Our Venezuela] Campaign Staff for the presidential campaign for the upcoming elections, scheduled for July 28.
“We are taking an important step to advance with superiority and courage to defend our country from the threat to which it is subjected, preserving the achievements of the fight we have won, charting the route for the future and winning the battle of July 28,” he said, also condemning the censorship against him and his presidential campaign on social media.
“Remember that we are not facing the local puppets. This presidential campaign is for Venezuela’s independence. In reality, the enemy of the Venezuelan people is the US imperialism. We are facing the power of the US government, and we are going to defeat them one more time — the US government and its local puppets,” said President Maduro at the appointment of his electoral strategy team.
From the Humboldt Hotel in Warairarepano National Park, the president also announced that the Our Venezuela 21st Century campaign staff will be formed as follows:
• General Coordinator: Jorge Rodríguez.
• Central Coordination: Diosdado Cabello, Héctor Rodríguez, Cilia Flores, Luis Reyes Reyes, and Nahum Fernández.
• Executive Secretaries: Vanesa Montero and Grecia Colmenares.
• Spokespersons: Rafael Lacava, Genesis Garvette, Luis José Marcano, Gabriela Jiménez, Jorge Arreaza, and Blanca Eekhout.
Maduro also announced that seven teams will comprise the Our Venezuela Campaign Staff, whose mission will be to interconnect political, ideological, and logistical capabilities to unify the country:
• Electoral Strategy: Will be headed by first lady Cilia Flores, with Freddy Náñez as executive secretary. It will be comprised of Carolina Cestarí, Mario Silva, Ilenia Medina, and Ricardo Sánchez.
• 7T and International Relations: Will be headed by Delcy Rodríguez, with Nicolás Maduro as executive secretary. It will be comprised of Rander Peña, Rodolfo Crespo, Ricardo Menéndez, Samuel Moncada, and William Castillo.
• Great Patriotic Pole (GPP), broad alliances and social movements: Led by Héctor Rodríguez, with Francisco Torrealba as executive secretary. It will be made up of Julio García Zerpa, Orlando Camacho, Gina Hung, Erika Farías, Gilberto Giménez, Didalco Bolívar, Henry Hernández, and Heryck Rangel.
• Tour and Events: Nahum Fernández will lead this team with Juan Escalona as the executive secretary. Meanwhile, Víctor Clark will be an active part of the nationwide deployment.
• Five Generations of the Revolution: Will be directed by Luis Reyes Reyes, with José Alejandro Terán as executive secretary. It is comprised of Fernando Soto Rojas, María León, Francisco Arias Cárdenas, María Cristina Iglesias, and Yadira Córdova.
• Electoral Machinery, under the 1X10 + 5X5 method in defense of the vote: Diosdado Cabello will be in charge, with Francisco Ameliach as executive secretary. It will be comprised of Pedro Infantes, Williams Benavides, and Henry Parra.
• Communications, streets, social media, media, walls, and word of mouth: Will be led by Jorge Rodríguez, with Gustavo Villapol as executive secretary. It will be comprised of Alex Saab, Camilla Fabri de Saab, and Patricia Villegas.
President Maduro instructed the activation of a powerful communication method that allows the campaign “to go to the forefront and demonstrate to that world that controls social media that they will not be able to defeat Venezuela and that we will build a new system: Media, streets, social media, walls, and word of mouth.”
On the other hand, President Maduro highlighted that the “Our Venezuela” Campaign Staff will become the epicenter of the political, ideological, spiritual, and logistical capacity to unify the country. “Unite Venezuela because, without a doubt, hope is already in the streets, and Venezuela will know how to win,” Maduro stated.
He stressed that the electoral campaign must “mobilize locally, convince the people in the neighborhood, on the corner… It is an unprecedented campaign … Let a thousand mobilizations flourish.”
The revolutionary leader said that the people “are our base, our inspiration to face, as we have done, any difficulty.” He added that the Revolution has experienced a dialectical process that has been maintained thanks to an empowered, brave, and values-based people.
“We are the vanguard of a heroic people that has managed to stand out in the 21st century, setting an example for the world in a process of permanent learning,” he said.
President Maduro called for optimizing the strength and power of the Venezuelan people through the Communes, Communal Councils, and new alliances. “Welcome every Venezuelan who wants to build the future this July 28.”
President Maduro recalled that since the Bolivarian Revolution, the revolutionary forces have achieved victory in 28 of 30 electoral processes. “We are going to the 31st, and we must build victory, weave the path to the future,” he added.
The Revolution is the only one with a government plan
During the announcement, Maduro emphasized that the Bolivarian Revolution is the only one that has a government plan for the country.
He highlighted that the other candidates for the presidential elections have not presented plans or government programs for Venezuela.
Finally, President Maduro called to defeat the intentions of the US empire, which is now trying to impose a candidate to appropriate the nation’s future and wealth. “Already today, May 16, hope is in the streets. The people are in the streets, and Venezuela will know how to win, as the slogan says,” he said.
“Our Venezuela, yours, yours, yours, everyone’s. Forever. For the 21st century and beyond. Our Venezuela, not the gringos‘ or the oligarchy’s. Venezuela belongs to the people—the sole owner and principal of this country to guarantee our sovereignty,” he added.
(Alba Ciudad) with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SF
