Measure prevents entry of former presidents of Mexico and Panama, increasing regional tensions; election will be held on Sunday (28.Jul)
On the eve of the Venezuelan presidential election, the government of Nicolás Maduro closed the country’s land borders and blocked the entry of a plane carrying former presidents of Panama and Mexico, as well as other former heads of state. The measure announced on Friday (26 July 2024) increased tensions in the region, especially with Brazil and other countries that had already expressed concerns about the integrity of the electoral process in Venezuela.
Panamanian Foreign Minister Javier Martínez Acha summoned the Venezuelan diplomatic mission for clarification, stating in a speech to journalists that the “The Venezuelan government blocked airspace for Copa Airlines, detaining one of the company’s planes and preventing another flight from taking off”.
Domingo Hernández Lárez, operational commander of the FANB (Bolivarian National Armed Force), justified the restriction at the borders, which began this Friday (26.Jul) and will continue until 8am on Monday (29.Jul), as a measure to “to safeguard the inviolability of borders and prevent activities of persons who may pose security threats” from the country.
The exclusion of opposition candidates, such as María Corina Machado, had already been the target of criticism against the Maduro government. Tensions increased with statements made by the president during a rally, where he warned of a possible “blood bath” It is “civil war” if he were not reelected.
On the other hand, polls indicated Edmundo González Urrutia (Democratic Unitary Platform, center), the opposition’s consensus candidate, as the favorite.
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