María Corina Machado, politician from Caracas, he is one of the favorites of the polls in the primaries of the Venezuelan opposition. His plans include the launch of the privatization of PDVSA and the transformation of Venezuela into the energy and oil center of the Americas.
The Venezuelan opposition’s primary election campaign started early this week. And although formal registration of candidates is two months away, María Corina Machado is among the favorites in the polls to defeat Nicolás Maduro in the 2024 presidential elections.
To the radical María Corina, as they call her dry, His pulse does not tremble when he describes the Maduro regime as criminal. As a deputy in 2011, she did not hesitate even in front of Hugo Chávez himself when he called him a “thief” because her “expropriations were robberies”.
His heated verb has generated more than one attack against him by Chavista groups, but also by some opposition parties trying to disable it to get her out of the primary game where she leads the polls. Internal elections will be held on 22 October.
This 55-year-old from Caracas is a mother of three, a teacher and an industrial engineer. You come from a wealthy family who excelled in steel and metallurgy. She and she is the founder of the Vente Venezuela party. In his interview with clarion has announced that it will go all the way in internal and presidential elections.
-What do the primaries represent for your candidacy?
-That’s what they represent for the country, it’s aligning the country in one direction, that of removing Maduro and ousting him from power in 2024.
-How does Maduro fight after 10 years in power in the current circumstances?
-You win with strength, discipline and organization but above all with great conviction. We need to build trust that there is leadership, that it has the right strategy and that it is willing to go through with it.
-Didn’t I hear you mention the word unity in your speech?
-I think the fundamental thing is clarity around the goal. This is what united the country. Obviously people are united. That’s why I think the primaries will allow people to have confidence again and to be able to choose much more than just one candidate.
-Will you continue in the primaries if the CNE (National Electoral Council) provides technical assistance in the process?
-I think this is an important point and I want to be precise. The important thing is that many people participate, the more Venezuelans participate, the more strength we are going to build. In the beginning the goal of the primaries is to build strength. The electoral commission has a huge historical responsibility and must be clear about what society requires and that is that its participation must be greater and more enthusiastic. It is inconceivable that the CNE denies the right to vote to a quarter of the electorate because they are abroad, this is part of the exclusion and persecution of tyranny, and the same towards the Venezuelans who are here. We know that the CNE is a tool, a tentacle of tyranny. Venezuelans don’t want Maduro to count the votes. I reject the fact that the CNE is the one controlling the process and this can scare many people out of the process of entering the primaries.
So, do you prefer a manual system for counting votes?
-Absolutely.
-Given the technical difficulties, what would it be like to vote abroad?
-Firstly, I am in favor of manual voting inside and outside Venezuela. This is perfectly possible. Just look at how many countries have done it manually. That is, a ballot that is marked and deposited in a transparent urn and the company accompanies the process from A to Z and thus we generate trust. We all know that the regime and its CNE made complicated and fraudulent elections. Beautiful, transparent primaries end up being a standard for more competitive elections.
-And what would it be like to vote abroad without electronic support?
-We know that there are more than 7 million Venezuelans abroad, of which there may be around 4.5 million registered voters that the regime excludes them from consulates and that they would not go to vote because the regime would use them to persecute them.
-And then what do they propose?
-We propose that the electoral commission of the primaries summon Venezuelans abroad to notify their intention to vote through a digital page. This way we can know how many people are interested in voting and we can plan the logistics with the company in each of the cities of the world so that every Venezuelan has the opportunity to vote.
-If you were the winner, would you go to the presidential elections with the current CNE?
-I’m going all the way. This fight has one purpose: we will confront Maduro and remove the regime from power. For this we must build strength. I don’t want to be the leader of the opposition, what interests me is to take power away from Maduro.
-If you are not the winner of the primaries, would you go alone to the 2024 presidential elections?
-Venezuelans know me and know that I am a person of my word. I respect the decision that Venezuelans make freely.
– Do you no longer care about the electoral conditions of the presidential election?
-Of course they count, that’s why I’m fighting. We are about to change the conditions. We are changing them for the primaries and we will change them for the presidential by 2024. With me you can be sure that we will change them. I trust in the strength that we will build and that we will achieve changes.
Don’t you think that the greatest enemy of the opposition is not Chavismo but rather the internal division that paved the way for Chavismo to stay in power?
-Those in power have so much money and so few scruples that they manage to get in and co-opt people we trusted and not just in politics, but in science, business, entertainment and culture, even in churches. It’s terribly painful.
-What use has been made of the abstention that you promoted in the past and that screwed Chavismo to power?
-The weakness and contradictions of some sectors, not only in Venezuela, but abroad were what screwed Chavismo. When we were close to change, some sectors surrendered to the regime.
-With your radical abstention positions, do you feel somehow responsible for having favored Maduro?
-I have done nothing but confront the Chavista, communist and criminal regime since day one.
-If you became president, what measures would you take against Maduro and his combo?
-This country yearns for justice and truth. The greatest contribution we can make is to ensure that Maduro and each of those responsible for the crimes face a fair justice system, one that has been denied to all Venezuelans.
-What would be the first three measures to reactivate and recover the country if you were president?
-We will promote an opening process, transparent privatization, generate trust and the rule of law for the arrival of investments. Turn the country into an energy hub of the Americas. We have enormous potential to attract large investments and to bury this red socialism once and for all.
– Do you define yourself as a right-wing politician?
-As a liberal politician. My party Vente Venezuela is liberal in the center. We have fought socialism since day one and today, its monumental failure has united the country in the desire for freedom, dignity, justice and prosperity. Undoubtedly, beyond the inevitable doctrinal debate, today we are waging an ethical and spiritual struggle. And we will win it.
-Are you disabled or do you not participate in the elections?
-They are not. I defend the right of disabled people to participate in elections. The regime cannot capriciously, arbitrarily and illegally disable the opposition as it has done so far. The citizen is the one who, with his vote, will give power to the candidates in the primaries and not Maduro.
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.