Former legislator Maria Corina Machado is currently leading the vote count in the Venezuelan opposition's presidential primary by a significant margin, and she has declared victory in the Sunday contest, although the final results are still pending.
The primary election's purpose is to select a unified opposition candidate to challenge President Nicolas Maduro in his expected re-election bid next year. This comes as the United States has promised to reimpose sanctions if the Venezuelan government does not remove bans that prevent some opposition figures from holding public office.
As of midnight, with just over 26 percent of the ballot boxes counted, Maria Corina Machado had secured 93 percent of the vote, according to the primary's organizing commission. She expressed her commitment to a "great national alliance for the transformation of Venezuela" and accepted the mandate she received.
The vote count was temporarily delayed due to a server issue, but it was expected to resume later on Monday. It's unclear when the next results update will be provided. Machado's closest rival, former legislator Carlos Prosperi, had received 4.75 percent of the vote.
The voter turnout exceeded expectations in some states, as the election was organized without state assistance. Venezuela has approximately 20 million eligible voters. Some polling places, including private homes and street corners, remained open for hours beyond the planned closing time to accommodate long lines and allow additional voting.
However, human rights groups and voters reported that some of the roughly 3,000 polling locations nationwide had to be relocated, causing confusion. Voters also faced transportation issues, with limited gasoline availability in certain areas and irregular public transport.
Maria Corina Machado, an industrial engineer aged 56, has maintained a lead of around 40 points in polls over her rivals. However, she, like two former contenders who withdrew from the race, is disqualified from holding public office due to her support for sanctions against Maduro's government, making her ineligible for the general election.
While the opposition and the government signed an agreement on some election guarantees this week, including the presence of international observers, the deal did not reverse the election disqualifications. The United States eased some sanctions in response to the agreement, but it has set a deadline for Maduro to lift the bans and release political prisoners. While a few individuals were released, those with disqualifications are still unable to run in the 2024 election, scheduled for the second half of the year.
Skeptics within the opposition doubt Maduro will follow through on the agreement. Maria Corina Machado has expressed her intention to pressure the electoral authorities to allow her to register. Although Maduro has not yet confirmed his intention to run for re-election, many anticipate that he will.
In the event that Machado wins the primary but is unable to compete in 2024, some have argued that selecting an alternative candidate may be necessary. However, whether the often-divided opposition would accept Machado's choice for a replacement remains uncertain.
Ten candidates are participating in the primary, all of whom have pledged to propose solutions for the country's enduring economic crisis. Millions of Venezuelan migrants of voting age around the world have the opportunity to cast their ballots at centers in 28 countries, with the hope of bringing about positive change for their homeland.
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