Venezuela has announced presidential elections set for July 28, sparking significant political activity and international reactions. The elections coincide with the 11th anniversary of Hugo Chávez's death and will be held on his birthday, likely pitting incumbent President Nicolás Maduro against an opposition candidate. Maduro has been accused of planning to win 'by fair means or foul' and has already barred his main opponent, María Corina Machado, from participating. Machado, who won 90% of the over 2.4 million votes in the opposition primary, has been vocal about her exclusion, promising to end socialism and ensure clean and free elections if elected. The opposition has less than three weeks to find an alternative candidate as the deadline to register is March 25. International reactions include the U.S. extending a 'national emergency' designation for Venezuela, which is a tool for applying sanctions, on the same day the elections were announced, with the original order dating back to March 8, 2015. Additionally, Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) has invited international organizations, including the EU and the UN, to observe the elections, though the effectiveness of these observers is contingent on their level of access and autonomy.
Venezuela’s decision to hold elections in July sends shock waves through the opposition, which now has less than three weeks to find a challenger to Nicolas Maduro. https://t.co/swxezwV3BT By @inaitriago
Venezuela’s decision to hold elections in July sends shock waves through the opposition, which now has less than three weeks to find a challenger to Nicolás Maduro https://t.co/HN7ryhdHmy
Venezuela’s decision to hold elections in July sends shock waves through the opposition, which now has less than three weeks to find a challenger to Nicolás Maduro https://t.co/YFqY4p9i6s
#Venezuela's CNE says it invited the EU, UN, Carter Center, Inter-American Union of Electoral Organizations, & other orgs to participate as electoral observers in the July 28 2024 election. Now to see what their MOUs look like—much hinges on their level of access and autonomy.
#Venezuela's CNE has invited the EU, UN, Carter Center, Inter-American Union of Electoral Organizations, and other orgs to participate as electoral observers in the July 28 2024 election. Now to see what their MOUs look like—much hinges on their level of access and autonomy.
Venezuela presidential hopeful María Corina Machado fires back at Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva after the Brazilian leader suggested she should appoint another candidate to run in her place https://t.co/WtSYgDkWYT
#FromTheSouth News Bits | Venezuela rejected the extension of the executive order being used by the United States government since 2015 to justify its aggression against the Bolivarian Nation. https://t.co/DjKTUKc0yL
To get sanctions eased, Venezuela's Maduro promised Washington that he would hold an election. Now he has scheduled a voting event for July 28 but it is a sham because he has barred his top opponent. Will Biden accept this charade just for more oil? https://t.co/3gWiJtPYsI
I have been clear: the United States should NOT support elections in Venezuela unless @MariaCorinaYA’s constitutional right to be on the ballot as a Presidential candidate for the Venezuelan opposition is respected, and there are guarantees that the elections will be free, fair…
The message is clear: narco-dictator is scared to confront @MariaCorinaYA in a truly democratic process in Venezuela because he knows he will overwhelmingly loose. Read my joint statement with @SenatorDurbin, @SenBillCassidy, and @SenatorCardin. #SOSVenezuela
A senior Venezuelan ruling party official said he "had no doubt" President Nicolas Maduro would be their candidate in elections set for July 28 https://t.co/cqxGCGPkvx
#Venezuela | United States President Joe Biden extended for an additional year the "Declaration of National Emergency" that his country has maintained against Venezuela since 2015. https://t.co/bdhIAIVM7q
Venezuelan candidates need to be declared to the CNE by March 25. Today is March 6. That's not a lot of time in the real world. It's an eternity for those on Twitter who demand everything happen immediately.
Biden extends for a year "national emergency" designation for Venezuela on same day the government announces the date of elections in which Maduro's chief opponent is barred from running. Original order—a tool for applying sanctions— was 3/8/2015, so probably a coincidence. https://t.co/1D1EQZeosi
.@MariaCorinaYA received 90% of the over 2.4 million votes in the opposition primary in #Venezuela. If she isn’t allowed on the 28 July ballot Biden must reimpose energy sanction on the Maduro regime
Venezuela Calls for July Election Amid Increased Repression @bpolitics https://t.co/81MWj24hZS
Opposition leader and alternative presidential candidate to Nicolas Maduro, Maria Corina Machado, promised to “leave socialism behind forever” if elected. “There will be clean and free elections in this country,” Machado promises, “and we will choose deep change, we are going to… https://t.co/ZpOnnkLQZH
BREAKING: Maduro announces that the Venezuelan presidential elections will take place on July 28th. He has banned his main opponent, @MariaCorinaYA from taking part in the election. Here she is telling people today that the vote will be illegitimate https://t.co/HiQMSw6lu6
Hugo Chávez's legacy: Venezuela announces presidential election on the 11th anniversary of Chávez's death. And the vote will take place on Chávez’s birthday. It'll likely be Maduro against an opposition candidate he can easily beat. https://t.co/jYr3UDVG8J via @WSJ
Maduro's "Re election" 😉😉😉 https://t.co/zFcRBrM0b8
“Maduro stated he would win the elections by fair means or foul — ‘por las buenas o las malas.’ Repression will likely intensify in the coming weeks.” https://t.co/Jt5PyOIQha
With today’s announcement #Venezuela’s opposition has 20 days to come up with an approach to elections. The deadline to register a candidate is March 25 and @MariaCorinaYA remains barred from office. Will they will back an alternate candidate, or repeat 2018’s electoral boycott?