CARACAS: Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado staunchly contested her disqualification from the upcoming elections, asserting that any vote without her participation would lack legitimacy.
The Supreme Court, aligned with President Nicolas Maduro, upheld a 15-year ban on Machado holding public office, triggering a defiant response from the opposition figure.
Machado, who received a significant mandate from Venezuelan voters in an opposition primary, labeled the ruling as “grotesque” and insisted on her candidacy. “They cannot hold elections without me,” she declared, emphasizing the support she garnered from nearly three million Venezuelans.
In response to these developments, the United States, expressing disappointment with the Venezuelan court’s decision, announced the reinstatement of some sanctions on Venezuela and its mining sector. White House spokesman John Kirby highlighted that the Maduro government had not fulfilled its commitments made during the mediated agreement in Barbados, prompting the reimposition of sanctions.
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The US Treasury specified that any American companies engaged with Venezuela’s state-owned mining concern Minerven have until February 13 to conclude a “wind-down of transactions” with the firm. The move aims to hold the Maduro government accountable for not adhering to the conditions set forth in the Barbados Agreement, which had led to a temporary easing of sanctions.
US Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Ben Cardin condemned Machado’s disqualification as a violation of the Barbados Agreement and called for the reimposition of sanctions until a fair election is assured. The European Union also expressed concern over the disqualification, emphasizing that such decisions undermine democracy and the rule of law. The EU urged the full implementation of the Barbados Agreement.
As political tensions escalate, Maduro’s government maintains that the election will proceed without foreign interference, emphasizing its commitment to free, transparent, and credible elections. The international community closely watches the unfolding situation in Venezuela amid competing narratives from the government and the opposition.
