The opposition emphatically calls for a defined schedule for the impending 2024 presidential elections.
The Venezuelan opposition has issued a formal demand directed at the Maduro administration, urging for the prompt announcement of an exact date for the forthcoming presidential elections slated for the latter part of this year.
Voluntad Popular (VP), the political party associated with Venezuelan opposition figures Leopoldo López and Juan Guaidó, underscored this call to action, emphasizing the necessity of a set timeline for the impending electoral process.
Expressing their concerns over the delay in setting a clear schedule, VP highlighted the perceived apprehension within the regime regarding the anticipated electoral outcome.
In a statement conveyed via their social media platform, the party insisted on the imperative nature of establishing a definitive date, citing the regime’s purported awareness of an anticipated electoral defeat as a driving force behind the delay tactics.
This demand was reinforced by Juan Guaidó, the former head of the Venezuelan Parliament, who is currently residing in the United States. Guaidó emphasized the absence of an election date, attributing this delay to President Nicolás Maduro’s alleged exploitation of these elections as a means of coercing the international community.
He rallied for a collective effort to press for an election calendar, deeming it a crucial step towards fostering a competitive and organized electoral process, while also soliciting support from the international community.
Additionally, Guaidó reached out to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Colombian leader Gustavo Petro, urging them to join in the demand for a scheduled election that ensures the populace’s ability to freely express their choices.
Despite an agreement between Chavismo and the primary opposition, Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), signed in October last year, pledging political rights and electoral assurances, including international observation, the Venezuelan electoral authority remains reticent about the specific election date.
Meanwhile, the opposition has pledged relentless efforts throughout 2024 to secure an “electoral victory” for their candidate, former deputy María Corina Machado, although she currently faces disqualification from holding elected public office. Conversely, the Chavismo faction has yet to officially announce its candidate, with President Maduro deeming discussions on the potential candidacy “premature.”
The absence of a definitive electoral schedule, coupled with a lack of information about updates to the Electoral Registry (RE) and the absence of a set date for the presidential elections, has plunged the Venezuelan population into a state of uncertainty. According to Súmate, an NGO, an estimated 6 million Venezuelans within the country and around 4 million abroad necessitate registration or data updates in the RE to exercise their voting rights.
