Venezuela barred opposition leader María Corina Machado from running in upcoming elections, causing more tension in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential vote.
Machado’s ban, like those slapped on other leading opposition figures including former governor and twice presidential candidate Henrique Capriles, on the face of it seeks to keep her out of next year’s race. In practice, however, she and other candidates are ignoring the bans and hoping the government has to reverse them eventually.
The announcement comes just two weeks after the government began a controversial restructuring process of the electoral body, prompting the opposition to plan primaries without its support. The move to render Machado ineligible appears to be an attempt to discourage opposition voters.
