Venezuelan opposition politician Maria Corina Machado issuing statements to the press in Barquisimeto, March 24, 2023. Photo: Notiguaro/File photo.
The leader of the Venezuelan opposition party Vente Venezuela, María Corina Machado, has renewed her attacks against the opposition primary elections scheduled for October. Machado continues to reject the use of fingerprint scanners and the technical assistance of the National Electoral Council (CNE) while other opposition parties want that support.
Machado claimed that “Venezuelans do not want to vote using fingerprint scanners or for the CNE to count the votes.”
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However, this mechanism has been used in Venezuela for almost 10 years in all legitimate electoral processes that have been held during that period. The system has been used in elections in which the opposition candidates have been elected as deputies, governors, and mayors, and it will be used for the 2024 presidential elections.
“We do not want to suffer the conditions of the regime in the primaries. Do you think that people want to vote with fingerprint scanners and for the CNE to count the votes? No,” Machado claimed.
🔵 María Corina sobre la asistencia del CNE en las primarias:
🗣️ “Las primarias no pueden ser el proceso en el cual tú te calas las condiciones del régimen. ¿Tú crees que la gente quiere votar con captahuellas y que el CNE cuente los votos? No.”
📌 Vía @VenteVenezuela pic.twitter.com/iWOUN0SVU6
— 𝙋𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙖 (@polianalitica) May 12, 2023
Her statements against the primaries are not new, given that since last year, even before the date of the opposition primaries had been announced, she repeatedly wanted to impose her own conditions on the process. However, the strategy clearly has not worked, since she is still a pre-candidate, and the methods remain the same.
Machado, however, has continued to say that she would not participate in a process in which the CNE, the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ), and the Republic Plan are involved.
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“I want to contest, I have said it, I want to contest against anyone, but without the CNE, without the TSJ, without the Republic Plan, without machines, because obviously they are a black box, and I want all Venezuelans to vote here and now,” she said.
The reality is that a few months before the primary elections, the opposition remains fragmented, with more than 30 pre-candidates who want to compete for the presidential election.
The list of pre-candidates includes not only María Corina Machado, but also comedian Benjamín Rausseo, better known as Er Conde del Guácharo, Delsa Solórzano of Encuentro Venezolano party, and Henrique Capriles of Primero Justicia party.
(RedRadioVE) by Ana Perdigón, with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SC
