US condemns disqualification of Venezuelan opposition leader

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The United States has condemned the disqualification of Maria Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader who is challenging President Nicolás Maduro in next year’s elections, to remain in office for 15 years.

Machado, a former lawmaker who has called for Maduro to be jailed over human rights abuses, will be barred from running in the presidential election if the opposition’s self-organized primary wins in October.

“The decision to disqualify Machado from participating in the electoral process deprives the Venezuelan people of basic political rights,” the US State Department said Friday night.

Machado was barred from holding office for 12 months in 2015. But in a letter to government aide lawmaker José Brito, the comptroller general said the ban had been extended to 15 years because of the corruption charges against Machado.

The letter also accused him of supporting the parallel presidency of Juan Guaidó and US-led sanctions on the Venezuelan government and state-oil company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA).

Machado, who has promised to privatize the PDVSA if elected, is leading the polls against a dozen candidates set to win the opposition primary in October.

At a campaign event on Friday, Machado told supporters the ban was “nonsense” and would not affect his campaign. He said, “It only shows one thing: they know they have lost.”

The opposition and Maduro were involved in US-backed political talks in Mexico. The US has said it would be willing to ease sanctions in exchange for guarantees from Maduro’s government that elections would be free and fair. But the two sides have not met since November.

Venezuela boasts the world’s largest proven oil reserves but food and medicine are often scarce or prohibitively expensive. Some 7 million Venezuelans – about a quarter of the population – have fled the country.

The economy is starting to grow again after a slump that wiped out nearly three-quarters of GDP, but annual inflation is at 429 percent, according to the central bank.

The Organization of American States also condemned Machado’s disqualification. It states, “The regime resorts to disqualifications and sanctions to retain power and eliminate any semblance of democracy, while it deepens the political, social, humanitarian and economic crisis in the country.”

In an interview with the Financial Times this week, Machado warned that Maduro would attempt to tilt the election in his favor.

“There are only two options,” she said. “We will win with an overwhelming majority or Maduro will steal the election.”