In Venezuela, the flip side of the word negotiation is not just disagreement. Not even hostility. Behind every attempt at dialogue between the Government of Nicolás Maduro and the opposition there is an institutional breakdown that has determined the country’s political relations for years. It happened again last week, with a great profusion of statements in X, after the celebration of the primaries of the so-called Unitary Platform, an amalgamation of parties with enormous ideological and strategic differences. The winner of that election was María Corina Machado, a veteran neoliberal leader who has always represented the most radical wing of anti-Chavismo. She obtained an unappealable victory, according to the organizing commission: more than two million votes, 93% of the total.
I thank the Government of the United States for its recognition of the National Primary Commission, and its support and accompaniment to Venezuelans in their civic and heroic deed on October 22.
We count on all the democrats in the world to achieve the conditions that… https://t.co/Un9p5L0p31— María Corina Machado (@MariaCorinaYA) October 26, 2023
Machado received congratulations from the United States and thanked the “support and accompaniment” of the Embassy, which operates from Colombia. “We count on all the democrats in the world to achieve the conditions that allow us to have free and competitive presidential elections in 2024,” he wrote. Just a few days before, the Government and the opposition forces had agreed to call elections in the second half of next year. At the same time, Washington announced the relaxation of sanctions on Venezuelan oil, gas and gold. The climate led to a turning point in the country’s deep crisis.
Extraordinary words from Cilita and with her I join the call to the Venezuelans who participated in the “Primaries”, not to be fooled, and not to be part of a blackmail that seeks to validate a fraud or burn the country. We will defend the Constitution and the laws, with a… pic.twitter.com/PyrzgBJ81S
— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) October 24, 2023
But it wasn’t going to be that simple. First it was Cilia Flores, deputy and wife of Maduro. A few hours after the primaries, she questioned the vote, and asked that the organizers “answer to the authorities for her crime.” She also added a value judgment that clashes with the development of the 2018 presidential elections, held without real competition or guarantees. “If these people of Venezuela know anything, it is elections. They have been voting for how many years in an automated, transparent, reliable, secure system. The people know how to vote and how they have protected their vote.” The president himself echoed that intervention. “With it I join the call to the Venezuelans who participated in the primaries not to be deceived and not to be part of a blackmail that seeks to validate a fraud or burn the country,” he launched.
We denounced to the media the colossal fraud perpetrated by the extreme right last Sunday. We will begin the necessary investigations into the illegal use of the identity of more than 2 million Venezuelans. pic.twitter.com/xiHdSIhMuw
— Jorge Rodríguez (@jorgerpsuv) October 25, 2023
Later, Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly and head of the team in charge of negotiating with the opposition, went further and announced legal action. “We denounced to the media the colossal fraud perpetrated by the extreme right last Sunday. “We will begin the necessary investigations into the illegal use of the identity of more than two million Venezuelans.” Maybe it was overacting. Perhaps, just a message to calm the militants or even reassure Maduro. In any case, the tone of that statement does not fit with the negotiations that have just begun.
The problem is that Machado is disqualified due to an alleged irregularity in a sworn declaration of her assets. An issue that dates back to 2015 and has recently been dusted off. But also that all opposition leaders with a certain degree of popularity are or have been disqualified. This is not how you can play a democratic game. And that is the breakdown of the institutions, controlled entirely by Chavismo.
Absolute rejection of the judicialization of the primary of the #22Oct! Nobody in the democratic forces gets involved in the internal processes of the PSUV, they should for once in their lives respect those of the opposition. The Government and its leadership should be concerned and take care of solving…
— Henrique Capriles R. (@hcapriles) October 25, 2023
Henrique Capriles Radonski, another disqualified politician, recalled that “no one in the democratic forces gets involved in the internal processes of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela.” What has become clear, for now, is that Maduro does not want Machado to be a candidate. He remains to see that she has the will to tolerate another. And he remains to see if the opposition accepts these impositions. The presidential elections once again hang in the balance.
#Venezuela #negotiate #vote