Nicolas Maduro has selected ten male candidates to represent his interests in the upcoming elections, leaving out any women from his cohort. These candidates, approved by Chavismo, include a mix of controversial figures and former opposition members who have aligned themselves with Maduro’s regime.
One of the candidates, evangelical pastor Javier Bertucci, gained a million votes in the 2018 presidential elections by distributing soup at his rallies and drawing support from his parishioners. He has faced accusations of smuggling and was implicated in the Panama Papers scandal.
Another candidate, Daniel Ceballos, a former political prisoner rehabilitated by the Supreme Court, now leads the party Arepa Digital. He has the backing of Voluntad Popular Activista, a fake entity created after the takeover of the opposition party Voluntad Popular by the TSJ.
Maduro’s European ally, Antonio Ecarri, has put forward his own candidate, Antonio Ecarri, the leader of Lápiz. Ecarri has shifted his support from interim president Juan Guaidó to Maduro’s regime, earning the endorsement of former Spanish president Timoteo Zambrano.
Jose Brito, known as ‘The Alacrán’, was exposed for taking an organized trip to Europe with funds from a close associate of Maduro. He now leads Primero Venezuela, a party that was taken over by Chavismo. Comedian Benjamin Rausseo, also known as El Conde del Guácharo, has entered the race with his party CONDE, despite business dealings with the government.
Luis Ratti, a mysterious figure with ties to Chavismo, has created the Popular Democratic Right party to run in the elections. Manuel García Osorio, a controversial businessman, has also thrown his hat into the ring with the support of his party.
Claudio Fermín, a former presidential candidate and leader of a social democratic party, remains a political figure in Venezuela. Lastly, Luis Eduardo Martínez and Juan Carlos Alvarado, representing Democratic Action and Copei respectively, were selected as candidates for their parties which were taken over by Maduro’s regime.
These candidates represent Maduro’s attempt to solidify his power by handpicking loyal followers to run in the upcoming elections.