The much-anticipated presidential elections in Venezuela are scheduled for July 28, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Hugo Chávez. President Nicolás Maduro is the natural candidate for re-election, while the opposition faces challenges, especially with its primary contender, María Corina Machado, disqualified.
The officialist-controlled National Electoral Council (CNE) announced the date, approved unanimously, five months ahead of the winner’s inauguration on January 10, 2025. The timeline adheres to constitutional, legal, and technical requirements, as stated by CNE President Elvis Amoroso, who was previously involved in disqualifying opposition figures.
Maduro appears to be in campaign mode already, making trips for governmental and political events, a departure from his previous limited public appearances.
The opposition is under pressure with no practical candidate following the 15-year disqualification of María Corina Machado, who won the opposition primaries.
The schedule includes candidate registration from March 21 to 25, with the electoral campaign set for July 4 to 25. This leaves 20 days for the opposition to find an alternative candidate to Machado.
While the government and opposition had agreed on elections in the second half of 2024 in Norwegian-mediated negotiations, this unilateral announcement comes on the 11th anniversary of Chávez’s death. The EU had sent observers for the 2021 local elections, noting improvements but also irregularities.
Maduro, in power since 2013, suggested elections at the end of July, with prominent Chavista figures assuming his candidacy. His re-election in 2018 faced opposition boycotts and US sanctions, deemed fraudulent by both.
María Corina Machado, despite potential replacements, has insisted on continuing her candidacy, having secured over 2 million votes in opposition primaries.
As Venezuela heads toward elections, internal divisions within the opposition and external pressures set the stage for a challenging political landscape.