Presidential Race Shrinks in Venezuela as Election Approaches on July 28
Rewritten Article:
Caracas, April 25, 2024 (Our Source) - The opposition movement in Venezuela has seriesly united behind a single presidential candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, in the July 28 vote.
Tuesday saw opposition party A New Era (UNT) announce their backing of González Urrutia, who was selected by the self-styled Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD). Initially considered a "placeholder candidate," González Urrutia has become the focus of the opposition's unified front after a series of events.
UNT, led by Manuel Rosales, had earlier registered Rosales as their candidate before the March 25 deadline. However, Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) set an April 23 limit for political outfits to replace their candidate with someone already on the ballot.
Last week, Rosales, the Zulia Governor, stepped down from the race to endorse González. Mainstream opposition parties had agreed to back the former diplomat, and Rosales, who lost to former President Hugo Chávez in 2006, had promised to support a consensus candidate after making a last-minute filing.
A career diplomat, González Urrutia, aged 74, had been absent from Venezuela's political scene for several years before his surprise nomination. His most recent diplomatic post was as ambassador to Argentina, a post he lost in 2002 after endorsing a coup against Hugo Chávez.
While the Movement for Venezuela (MPV) joined UNT in switching their support from Rosales to González, Fuerza Vecinal chose to back candidate Antonio Ecarri instead. This decision has sparked internal conflicts within Fuerza Vecinal, causing some high-ranking members to announce their support for González.
González held his first meeting with PUD high-ranking officials on Wednesday to discuss strategy for the election. However, controversy soon followed, with a purported phone call from 2015 leaked, allegedly featuring González making offensive comments about women and minorities.
Radical candidate María Corina Machado, whose political ban was upheld by Venezuela's Supreme Court in January over corruption allegations and support for US sanctions, endorsed González publicly. Despite promising to stay in the race until the end, Machado pledged to continue campaigning for González, stating he would eventually assume the responsibilities of a presidential bid.
The field of candidates for the July 28 elections has narrowed in recent days. Juan Carlos Alvarado (COPEI) and Luis Ratti (Democratic Right) both announced their withdrawal and support for Luis Eduardo Martínez (Democratic Action). Claudio Fermín was rumored to be considering the same move but opted to remain in the race.
Right-wing candidate José Brito has been in discussions regarding unified presidential candidacies. Brito recently received a favorable ruling from the Supreme Court awarding him control over Justice First (Primero Justicia, PJ) following a lengthy legal dispute. Electoral authorities granted him a 48-hour extension to back a candidate already on the ballot.
However, PJ remains embroiled in more legal controversy. The Venezuelan Comptroller's Office disqualified three high-ranking PJ members and two officials from Fuerza Vecinal for 15 years from holding public office. The Comptroller declined to disclose the charges against these individuals. The list of disqualified politicians includes Carlos Ocariz, Tomás Guanipa, and Elias Sayegh. Despite the ban, Sayegh will be permitted to complete his term but won't be allowed to seek reelection in 2025. Several opposition figures have criticized these disqualifications.
Meanwhile, President Nicolás Maduro and members of the United Socialist Party (PSUV) have expressed confidence in Maduro's reelection bid. During an international summit on Wednesday, Maduro vowed that the Venezuelan people would teach a historical lesson to the "fascist right" that demands sanctions and foreign invasions.
- Edmundo González Urrutia, initially perceived as a "placeholder candidate," has become a significant figure in Venezuelan politics, winning the backing of the opposition movement's united front after a series of events.
- The withdrawal of Juan Carlos Alvarado and Luis Ratti, along with their support for Luis Eduardo Martínez, has narrowed the field of candidates for the July 28 elections, leaving Claudio Fermín as a remaining candidate.
- The controversial phone call from 2015, allegedly featuring González Urrutia making offensive comments about women and minorities, has raised questions about his suitability for the presidential role, despite the endorsement of radical candidate María Corina Machado.
- The leaked phone call and the internal conflicts within Fuerza Vecinal, caused by the decision to back candidate Antonio Ecarri instead of González, have added complexity to the already contentious Venezuelan political landscape.
- The Venezuelan Comptroller's Office has disqualified three high-ranking members from the Movement for Venezuela (MPV) and two officials from Fuerza Vecinal for 15 years from holding public office, a move that has sparked criticism from several opposition figures amid ongoing war-and-conflicts, policy-and-legislation, and general-news disputes within the country.
