By Natalia Rueda 
Today, March 11, Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE) made the decision to prohibit the opposition presidential candidate, María Corina Machado, from running in the presidential elections to be held on July 28. This decision has provoked widespread indignation from both the international community and Machado herself.
Machado, leader of the Vente Venezuela party, had obtained an overwhelming majority of 92.35% in the opposition primaries, giving her a strong mandate from the people. However, the CNE cited a January Supreme Court (TSJ) ruling that disqualified Machado from holding any public office for her alleged involvement in a corruption scheme alongside former opposition leader Juan Guaidó.
Machado’s disqualification has added fuel to the fire of already high political tensions in Venezuela. This decision has further polarized the country and weakened hopes for a peaceful resolution to the current crisis. It has also raised concerns about the fairness and impartiality of the upcoming elections.
In the midst of a deeply divided political climate, the current electoral calendar foresees that political parties will present their candidates between March 21 and 25, and the ruling party, the PSUV, has already initiated an internal consultation process to designate its candidate. Machado’s ban has dealt a heavy blow to the opposition’s chances of presenting a united front against the incumbent government and its preferred candidate.
This fact has raised doubts about the credibility of the upcoming electoral process. It remains to be seen how this decision will affect the stability of the country and the outcome of the elections.