No surprises in Venezuela: Nicolás Maduro will be the presidential candidate of Chavismo

The ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). proposed as a candidate in the presidential elections on July 28 to President Nicolás Maduro, who already appeared as a natural candidate for Chavismo.

After three days of assemblies in different states of the country, the party published this Sunday on the X social network that the militants have decided to give their “support to President Nicolás Maduro”.

It’s what is expected His official proclamation as a candidate will take place on March 15th, although Maduro has already thanked his followers for their support.

“I thank you for all your expressions of love, all your blessings, all your support and we will unite all those who can be united and summoned by the people on Sunday, July 28,” the president said in an audio also broadcast on X.

The leader Diosdado Cabello, considered the number two of Chavismo, indicated this on Wednesday “I had no doubt” that Maduro would be the PSUV’s “consensus” candidate.

In a press release, the formation indicated that there were “more than 15,850 assemblies in every UBCh (Bolivar-Chávez Battle Unit)” – an organization dedicated to the defense of the so-called ‘Bolivarian revolution’ – with the aim of offering the “candidate of the Homeland a great victory on July 28”.

Many of the Chavismo sympathizers who attended the meetings carried banners with messages such as: “Women nominate Nicolas”“The bases decide”, “I nominate Nicolás” and “The bases with Maduro”, according to the numerous photographs shared by the PSUV on social networks.

The vice president of Mobilization and Events of the PSUV, Nahum Fernández, assured that in several assemblies it was recognized “the president’s fight for sovereignty” and for the defense of “national independence” as “one of the fundamental conquests”, with which he will be able to “aspire to the presidency of the republic again”.

This process began last Thursday and since then Chavismo has held numerous meetings with its bases in the area to propose the candidate for the presidential elections, which if it is officially Maduro, in power since 2013, this He will seek a third six-year term, in what would be his second re-election.

The head of state predicted this week that the people will “achieve a great victory” in the upcoming elections.

Maduro has been on the campaign trail for weeks and has increased his public appearances, which is unusual, as have his ads for “new generation” social programs.

He also promised the construction of new public works.

The opposition

The opposition, meanwhile, must define a candidate given the political disqualification of María Corina Machadowhich swept the primaries of the main United Platform coalition last October.

Even if Machado insists that she will run, basically His candidacy is currently excluded.

The qualification of the candidates was one of the highlights of the dialogue between the government and the opposition, mediated by Norway.

Last October, both parties signed an agreement in Barbados to organize elections in the presence of international observers.

The opposition hoped the deal would allow Machado to run in the elections, but the Supreme Court, accused of acting under the aegis of the government, confirmed his ineligibility on 26 January.

The opposition demands that its candidate be qualified.

The July date respects the agreement to hold the elections in the second half of 2024, even if it puts into check the time for the formation of international observation missions.

The National Electoral Council (CNE) invited the European Union (EU), the UN and the Carter Center to observe the electoral process.

The official nomination of the candidates before the CNE will take place from 21 to 25 March.

The United Democratic Platform (PUD) of Venezuela, which brings together the majority of the opposition, accused the government of not respecting the electoral agreement signed in Barbados, with the recent arrest of a collaborator of the candidate of this anti-Chavista alliance in the presidential elections of July 28, María Corina Machado.

“We strongly condemn the arrest of Emill Brandt, campaign director of our candidate (…) Nicolás Maduro’s regime continues to violate human rights and by not respecting the Barbados agreement, we continue to attack the electoral process,” the PUD said in X.

In this sense, the platform assured that the electoral path is the only one it supports to “bring about the change” that, it stated, “all Venezuelans want in 2024”.

“Neither Maduro nor anyone else in his regime will take us off the peaceful and democratic path within the framework of the Barbados Agreement. United we will change Venezuela,” the opposition bloc added.

This agreement, signed last October, establishes the promotion of “a political and social climate favorable to the development of a peaceful and participatory electoral process”.