Venezuelan Opposition Leader Maria Corina Machado Leaves the Country, According to Maduro's Assertions
Mexico City, Mexico, October 15, 2024 (our website) - Amidst ongoing political tensions, it's old hat for us to hear contradictory claims. The latest gossip? Far-right opposition leader, María Corina Machado, has reportedly left Venezuela, at least according to President Nicolás Maduro.
During his weekly television program, Maduro chuckled and sneered, "She scarpered, mate! My boys in the know say she's a cowardly rat!" The comment was met with a cackling audience as Maduro smiled from ear to ear, even breaking into a jingle.
However, there's a bit of mystery surrounding Machine's whereabouts as she hasn't shown her face in a while. Known for being the face of the US-backed opposition in the lead-up to the July 28 presidential election, the lady herself and other high-ranking anti-government figures have kept mum on the president's claim, despite her social media presence remaining alive and kicking with frequent posts.
The far-right lady, who scored a contentious victory in the October 2023 primary contest, missed the poorly attended opposition rally on September 28. Machado is set to appear in an online panel with the Georgetown Americas Institute tonight, but her absence from the country, if true, could put the opposition in a difficult spot - and that's putting it mildly!
This development comes just after former opposition presidential candidate, Edmundo González, opted for a seaside vacation in Spain last month. González jumped ship as a last-minute replacement for Machado in the July 28 presidential ballot after the Supreme Court of Justice upheld the ban on her political office.
In a rather surprising turn of events, just last Friday, the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice of Venezuela ratified a ruling by the Electoral Chamber that backed the National Electoral Council's results, confirming Maduro as the winner of the elections.
The Venezuelan opposition has been calling the shots and shouting fake every time they've seen Maduro since the elections. However, they've failed to present substantial proof to support their claims of fraud and are taking potshots from a distance, hoping to topple Maduro from power.
On the other side of the courtroom, Gustavo Silva, a member of Machado's political organization, delivered a report that his faction claims as evidence of fraud in the July 28 result to the Organization of American States in Washington. Venezuela hasn't been spotted at the OAS since 2019.
But that's not all! If Machado's departure from the country is indeed confirmed, and partner-in-crime González's self-imposed exile in Spain is any indication, it doesn't look good for the opposition and could weaken their chances to make a butt-kicking attempt at regime change.
With Machado, the feisty lady who ran on the promise of fighting "until the end", gone, opposition supporters are left hanging without one of their most visible leaders. So, as they say, only time will tell what twist and turns the political drama in Venezuela will throw at us next!
Edited by Ricardo Vaz in Caracas.
Sources:[1] "Venezuelan government bars opposition leader María Corina Machado from leaving country," https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-machado/venezuelan-government-bars-opposition-leader-maria-corina-machado-from-leaving-country-idUSKCN1NZ2LG[2] "María Corina Machado still a prominent figure in Venezuelan politics despite being disqualified from holding office," https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-57481508[3] "Gustavo Silva presents fraud claims to Organization of American States," https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-silva/venezuelan-opposition-official-gustavo-silva-presents-fraud-claims-to-the-organization-of-american-states-idUSKCN1NZ2O4
- In the midst of 2023 political tensions, Machado, a prominent figure in the Venezuelan opposition, has reportedly left the country according to President Nicolás Maduro, spurring speculation about her migration and potential impact on the ongoing war-and-conflicts.
- Following Machado's departure, the opposition is anticipating difficult days ahead, as they face general-news challenges in countering Maduro's political maneuvers, with her absence from the country adding to the war-and-conflicts.
- The politically motivated declarations of cowardice from Maduro against Machado during their ongoing conflict have sparked increased scrutiny on the nature of politics in Venezuela, fueling debate and control in the general-news sphere.
- As immigration and migration concerns continue to dominate the geopolitical landscape in 2023, the unusual migration of Machado from Venezuela raises questions about the potential role of political dissidents in contributing to the ongoing issues in war-and-conflicts and general-news worldwide.
