:quality(85)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/SFWQPASX2FFUFNWB46EIJ7HGKY.jpg "Who is Manuel Rosales, the governor who registered at the last minute as a candidate for president of Venezuela")
The governor of the Venezuelan state of Zulia, Manuel Rosales, has announced his candidacy for the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for July 28. Rosales, a member of the opposition party Fuerza Vecinal, was nominated by the Democratic Unitary Platform coalition. Despite facing obstacles in the registration process, Rosales joins 12 other candidates in the race for the presidency.
Rosales, who previously ran against the late former president Hugo Chávez in 2006, aims to unite the fragmented opposition around his candidacy. Known as “the philosopher of Zulia,” Rosales has a strong presence in the oil-rich state and has served as governor and mayor in the past.
After years of exile and legal battles, Rosales returned to Venezuela in 2015 and was granted the governorship of Zulia in the 2021 elections. Despite his controversial past and connections with the Chavista regime, Rosales remains a prominent figure in Venezuelan politics.
While his candidacy may face backlash from some opposition members, analysts believe Rosales could present a viable challenge to current president Nicolás Maduro. With the support of Fuerza Vecinal and the Democratic Unitary Platform, Rosales hopes to lead the charge for change in Venezuela and bring unity to the opposition movement.