Caracas, Venezuela – The main opposition coalition in Venezuela has faced another obstacle in its bid for the upcoming presidential election in July. The Unitary Platform (PUD) reported difficulties in registering their candidate, Corina Yoris, on the electoral council website, further complicating their efforts to challenge President Nicolás Maduro.
This setback is part of a series of challenges for the PUD, as their leader María Corina Machado has already been barred from running for president. Recent polls indicated that Machado could potentially defeat President Maduro in a fair election, highlighting the significance of these obstacles faced by the opposition coalition.
President Maduro, on the other hand, had no issues registering his candidacy for a third term, holding a rally in Caracas with enthusiastic supporters from his socialist PSUV party. The ease with which he registered stands in stark contrast to the hurdles faced by the opposition candidates.
In a surprising turn of events, the governor of the state of Zulia, Manuel Rosales, from the Un Tiempo Nuevo party, registered as a candidate without prior knowledge by the PUD coalition. This unexpected move has added another layer of complexity to the already contentious presidential race in Venezuela.
Despite these challenges, the PUD remains determined to rally around their chosen candidate, Corina Yoris, as a replacement for Machado. Yoris, an academic with little political experience, was selected by the coalition for her fresh perspective and potential to evade attacks on her credibility due to her newcomer status in politics.
However, even as Yoris faced allegations of ineligibility due to her birthplace, the opposition coalition struggled to register her candidacy by the deadline. The efforts to log into the electoral council’s website proved futile, prompting concerns about the fairness and transparency of the electoral process in Venezuela.
As tensions rise and obstacles mount for the opposition coalition, the future of the presidential election in Venezuela remains uncertain. The struggles faced by the PUD in registering their candidate underscore the challenges posed by a contentious political climate and the ongoing power struggles in the country.