Venezuela's upcoming presidential election is marred by concerns of fairness as Nicolás Maduro's regime blocks opposition candidates from registering, drawing criticism from the US and international community. Maduro's actions, including persecuting opponents and barring key figures like María Corina Machado, have raised doubts about the legitimacy of the election. The US government's responses have been described as gentle, with concerns that Maduro is exploiting the situation to maintain power despite a disastrous recession and widespread emigration. Maduro's behavior, characterized as thuggish and paranoid, has been seen as a challenge to the promises of free and fair elections made under agreements with the US.
In a fair presidential election, Nicolás Maduro would be facing María Corina Machado, a conservative and a long-standing critic of the government. But she has been banned from political office for 15 years by the regime-controlled Supreme Court https://t.co/nQqOyDwDbI 👇
We respect Venezuela’s sovereignty&independence, support Venezuela in running a constitution-based election and oppose external interference in Venezuela’s domestic affairs. Hope to see a smooth election and a constructive role from the international community. https://t.co/TSuYuFY2E4
🇻🇪 | The Maduro regime has spared nothing in its mission to cling to power. Not only has it persecuted opponents through judicial violence, but state and non-state armed groups have also been part of its strategy: https://t.co/VwzXnRPX5G
Bizarre behavior by Maduro. The US, EU, and regional leaders were willing to apply exceedingly low standards to this year’s election and normalize relations. Instead, aware of his exceedingly low popularity, Maduro is performing the role of a thuggish and paranoid dictator. https://t.co/9znqXrJq0X
Nicolás Maduro has overseen a disastrous recession that has led to the emigration of around a quarter of the population over the past decade. The unpopular autocrat’s rule continues only because he has trampled over Venezuela’s democracy https://t.co/BYGKyaTvqd 👇
The US is fixated on Russia and China, but closer to home Venezuela's Maduro is running circles around Washington with a sham election https://t.co/jEyAWcgPPT
Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro is testing the limits of a carefully orchestrated agreement that promised fair and free elections in exchange for loosened US sanctions. https://t.co/Ta4J1h6fAj
“Threatens the possibility of free and fair elections”… More weak statements from the US on Venezuela. Their policy is a total failure and has only emboldened Maduro. #Venezuela https://t.co/VN5MPanOaD
Venezuelans deserve the opportunity to vote in free & fair presidential elections. Arbitrarily blocking registration of an opposition candidate is not in line with the commitments Maduro & his representatives made under the Barbados Agreement. https://t.co/A3RPOlNYrZ
Nicolás Maduro’s regime is reusing the playbook from its last sham election in Venezuela. It has blocked opposition candidates from registering to run for president https://t.co/hz3enZ1KvN 👇
"Threatens the possibility of free and fair elections". The US govt statements re Venezuela in recent weeks have been consistently gentle. https://t.co/66Gis9MIlw
The Venezuelan National Electoral Council's decision to prevent the registration of an opposition candidate threatens the possibility of free and fair elections that are seen as legitimate by the international community. Venezuelans deserve to freely choose their leaders.
“The enduring problem is that, for Mr Maduro, the price of losing power is too high”. @TheEconomist Nicolás Maduro’s sham election: the sequel https://t.co/ijcpIoa2sX from @TheEconomist