While she is still facing a prohibition from running for office, Maria Corina Machado—the head of the opposition in Venezuela’s next presidential election—has put her support behind an alternative candidate.
For the election on July 28, she nominated Corina Yoris, an 80-year-old professor and historian, to replace her.
On Friday, the news broke amid widespread criticism of President Nicolas Maduro‘s administration for what is widely believed to have been an effort to put pressure on Machado.
Dignora Hernandez and Henry Alviarez, two campaign members close to Machado, were arrested earlier in the day. A statement denouncing the arrests was released earlier by the US Department of State.
“The decision by Maduro and his representatives to detain two members of the leading opposition candidate’s campaign and issue warrants for seven others represents a disturbing escalation of repression against Venezuela’s opposition parties,” spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.
“We continue to call for the immediate release of all political prisoners.”
Alviarez previously served as the national coordinator for Vente Venezuela, Machado’s liberal party. Meanwhile, Hernandez served as the political secretary for the party.
Wednesday saw their arrests on conspiracy charges related to the alleged incitement of violence.
According to Attorney General Tarek William Saab of Venezuela, they were involved in plots to “destabilise” the country by attacking military installations.
Magalli Meda, a close ally of Machado’s, and other party members were also subject to arrest warrants issued for comparable offences.
Machado, however, has vehemently denied the accusations, calling them “completely false,” and foreign observers have cautioned Maduro’s government against trying to undermine the opposition.
The Chilean foreign ministry, for example, condemned the detentions as “an action contrary to the democratic spirit that should prevail in any electoral process.”
The use of government troops to violently suppress dissent, including arbitrary arrests and torture, has long been charged by human rights organisations of Maduro and his associates.
Machado, who previously served in Venezuela’s National Assembly, is no longer eligible to run for public office there.
The comptroller general’s support of US sanctions led to her announcement in June that she would be ineligible to run for public office for 15 years. Although Machado eventually won the opposition primary in October, she was the clear favourite at the time.
The purpose of the primary election was to choose an opponent to Maduro, and almost 2.45 million Venezuelans participated. According to preliminary tallies, Machado easily won the primary election with more than 93% of the vote. The odds on her running against Maduro, who is vying for a third six-year term, have long been in her favour.
The Barbados Agreement, which Maduro’s government ratified in October, called for a competitive presidential election in 2024 to be overseen by foreign monitors. Amidst this, the opposition primary took place.
As a result of the deal’s preservation, the United States lifted some sanctions in return. In January, a court in Venezuela upheld Machado’s ban, and the sanctions were subsequently reinstated.
The prohibition, however, did not expire for Machado following the Barbados Agreement. Additionally, Monday was the deadline for the opposition to designate a presidential ballot candidate.
“We are determined to move forward and do what needs to be done to stay on this path and fulfil the mandate – the mandate of almost 3 million Venezuelans, achieved on October 22 with the glorious primaries,” Machado said in a news conference on Friday.
Additionally, Yoris expressed her gratitude to Machado for placing her trust in her.
