Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado speaks during an interview with Reuters, in Caracas, Venezuela February 9, 2024. Reuters/Gaby Oraa/File Photo
The first vice-president of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), Diosdado Cabello, revealed the list of names from which far-right opposition politician María Corina Machado may choose her substitute in the upcoming presidential elections.
During his TV program Con el Mazo Dando, Cabello stated that he received information that the list of substitutes for María Corina Machado includes Jesús María Casal who was the head of the opposition’s National Primary Commission; the president of Machado’s NGO Súmate, Roberto Abdul; Magallí Meda; and Teresa Albanés.
Cabello added that Machado had been suggested to appoint the head of the Unitary Platform’s dialogue delegation, Gerardo Blyde, but she rejected the suggestion because Blyde is close to the governor of Zulia state, Manuel Rosales.
🔴 Diosdado Cabello informó que María Corina va a nombrar a un candidato sustituto. En su lista están: Jesús María Casal, Roberto Abdul, Magallí Meda y Teresa Albanés.
🗣️ María Corina sacó de su lista a Gerardo Blyde porque dice que él es ficha de Manuel Rosales.
📌 El Mazo. pic.twitter.com/wCYXPPjngV
— 𝙋𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙖 (@polianalitica) March 14, 2024
“The list has Jesús María Casal whom the gringos do not want because he is a snitch; Roberto Abdul, president of Súmate; Magallí Meda because she is Machado’s partner, and Teresa Albanés,” Cabello commented. “María Corina was suggested to appoint Gerardo Blyde, but according to her, he is Manuel Rosales’ pawn and they are scorpions.” The far-right uses the term scorpion in a derogatory way to describe the moderate opposition.
However, according to Cabello, the US government’s favored candidate is Manuel Rosales and the US chargé d’affaires in Venezuela, Francisco Palmieri, wants Manuel Rosales as the opposition’s presidential candidate.
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Cabello further added that María Corina Machado will try to impose her candidate and campaign as if she was going to be the vice president of Venezuela, despite her political disqualification that has been ratified by the Supreme Court of Venezuela.
Throughout last week, several opposition leaders asked Machado to withdraw from the electoral race in view of her disqualification, and to look for a new option for the presidential elections scheduled for July 28.
It is not just opposition leadership that is making this call, but also the Venezuelans who support the opposition. This was reflected in the latest survey by the polling firm Datincorp, in which 70% of the Venezuelans consulted advised Machado to withdraw from the race and present a substitute.
(RedRadioVE) by Ana Perdigón
Translate: Orinoco Tribune
OT/SC/DZ
