CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelan government critic María Corina Machado emerged victorious on Thursday in an opposition-organized primary to select a candidate for the presidency, despite the contest being denounced as illegitimate by the self-proclaimed socialist government.
The National Primary Commission organized the voting on Sunday, which drew over 2.4 million voters from Venezuela and abroad. The purpose was to choose a candidate to run against President Nicolás Maduro in the upcoming elections.
However, Maduro’s government has cast doubt on the validity of the primary, despite giving assurances that the opposition would be allowed to select a candidate. The government has launched a criminal investigation into the primary organizers, accusing them of fraud and usurping authority. Additionally, Machado has been officially banned from running for office.
Nevertheless, the opposition primary commission declared Machado, a former lawmaker, as the winner on Thursday, during an event attended by opposition leaders and the other candidates she defeated on Sunday.
The commission’s released results revealed that over 2.4 million voters participated, with approximately 93% supporting Machado.
Voters defied expectations, even in neighborhoods that were once considered strongholds of the governing party. Despite waiting in line for hours in scorching heat or heavy rain, many expressed their hopes for a change in government that can alleviate the complex crisis which has plunged millions into poverty and forced over 7.7 million others to migrate.
Last week, Maduro’s government tentatively agreed to allow the opposition to select its candidate for the 2024 presidential election. However, the government has previously disregarded the law, retaliated against opponents, and violated agreements as it saw fit.
Jorge Rodriguez, President of the National Assembly, argued that the voter turnout claimed by the opposition commission was mathematically impossible, considering the number of available voting centers and the time it takes for an individual to cast a ballot.
In the meantime, the country’s chief prosecutor stated that the investigation into the primary organizers would also examine allegations such as identity theft and money laundering.
