Venezuela’s Opposition Unites in Primary Showdown

• Venezuela’s opposition holds self-organized primary for 2024 presidential candidate.
• National Electoral Council, led by Maduro ally, refused assistance.
• Opposition aims to unite against Maduro’s expected reelection bid.

Venezuela‘s opposition is conducting a self-organized primary to select a candidate for the 2024 presidential race, as the National Electoral Council, led by a close ally of President Nicolás Maduro, refused to assist.

The opposition, seeking to unite against Maduro’s anticipated reelection bid, is determined to participate in 2024 despite significant challenges.

Their primary plan was proposed in May 2022 and formally declared in October 2022, but the National Electoral Council (CNE), dominated by government loyalists, only responded in September 2023, suggesting a delay to November.

The opposition declined and is organizing the primary independently, with over 3,000 polling stations for voters.

From an initial field of 13 candidates, it has narrowed down to 10 after Henrique Capriles, Freddy Superlano of the Popular Will party, and Roberto Enríquez of the Copei party dropped out.

María Corina Machado is the leading candidate, but her eligibility is in question due to a 15-year office ban imposed in June.

Machado believes her victory will exert enough pressure on the government to overturn her ban, though the recent deal between opposition and government representatives in Barbados remains ambiguous on the matter.

The United States has eased some sanctions against Venezuela’s energy sector in response to the agreement, which includes the invitation of international observers for the 2024 election.

However, the US warned that sanctions could be reinstated if opposition candidate bans aren’t lifted by the end of November.

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