The Government of China reaffirms its support for Venezuela’s sovereignty and independence ahead of the presidential elections on July 28. In response to concerns raised by the US State Department about difficulties facing opposition candidates, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated that Beijing opposes foreign interference in Venezuela’s internal affairs.
Thirteen candidates have registered to participate in the upcoming elections, including President Nicolás Maduro who is seeking a third term. However, opposition candidate María Corina Machado was disqualified, leading to her substitute candidate Corina Yonis being unable to register.
Maduro has been in power since 2013, taking over after the death of Hugo Chávez. The upcoming elections are part of the Barbados Accords signed last October, but will be held on a different date than usual. The last presidential elections in Venezuela were held in October 2012 and May 2018.
The statement from China comes amidst ongoing political tensions in Venezuela, with international actors closely monitoring the situation leading up to the elections.