:quality(85)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/Y4JZZONDEBCF7ER3DFF6DCLXTI.jpg "About thirty former heads of state condemned the unconstitutional disqualification of María Corina Machado in Venezuela")
A coalition of about thirty former heads of State and Government of Spain and Latin America have expressed their disapproval of the “unconstitutional disqualification” of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado as the presidential candidate for the 2024 elections. The group, members of the Democratic Initiative of Spain and the Americas (IDEA), has affirmed that Machado continues to be “the legitimate representative of the opposition.”
They have condemned the decision by the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) to disqualify Machado, stating that it lacks cause or foundation. According to IDEA, Machado, in accordance with the rules of democracy, remains the rightful representative of the opposition in Venezuela and their presidential candidate, having been favored by a decisive majority of Venezuelans in primary elections.
The group also accused the Venezuelan regime of violating the Barbados Agreements, which committed to respecting the right of each political actor to select its candidate. They have called on guarantor countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the European Commission, to act accordingly.
The declaration was signed by numerous former presidents, including José María Aznar, Mariano Rajoy, Andrés Pastrana, Iván Duque, Álvaro Uribe, Eduardo Frei, Sebastián Piñera, Guillermo Lasso, and many others.
In addition to the former presidents’ condemnation, the French government has also expressed its concerns over the disqualification of Machado and urged the Maduro regime to respect the Barbados Agreement for the holding of free and transparent elections in 2024.
The agreement between the Chavista regime and the opposition is seen as an important step to end the crisis in Venezuela, and France has stated its willingness to work through the European Union in favor of an international mission of electoral observation, as provided for in the Barbados agreement.