Freedom and Socialism Party (PSL)
Caracas, March 25, 2024. If there was any doubt about the authoritarian character and suppression of democratic freedoms by the government, this has been dispelled in the last few days, in the period established by the National Electoral Council for the registration of presidential candidates, which expires today.
Without any reasoning or an official statement from the National Electoral Council, the government has prevented the registration of Corina Yoris and Manuel Isidro Molina, and keeps the electronic registration system closed, administering the registration of candidacies at its convenience, giving the green light to the nomination of candidates such as Luis Eduardo Martinez, Claudio Fermin, Bertucci, Brito, Ratti, Daniel Ceballos, the “Count of Guacharo”1, among others. Those sold out to the government that the people have called “the scorpions”2.
While using the CNE as an electoral security fence, the government and its party carry out a show to register Maduro as their candidate, using State resources in a discretionary manner, forcing public employees, militiamen and the scarce remains of its militant structure in the popular communities.
We are in the presence of a government fully aware that it has no popular support, that therefore it will resort to any anti-democratic trick to stay in power. Already in our previous newspaper we said that the government was preparing fraudulent elections, which is now being confirmed.
For its part, the pro-bosses and pro-imperialist opposition showed its exclusionary disposition by attributing the power of “great elector” to María Corina Machado, who unilaterally handpicked a replacement, no different from what the PSUV and the government are doing. By the way, a person completely detached from the struggles of the people.
When the government shut down the possibility of registering her, the division within the Unitary Platform surfaced. They are desperately looking for a new candidate with the blessing of María Corina Machado. Names come and go, Ramon Guillermo Aveledo, Manuel Rosales3, among others. The opposition has been unable to exert the slightest pressure upon the government. They are as terrified of the perspective of popular struggle as the government is. They try to solve everything behind the curtains, to the backs of their social base, in negotiations among themselves, and we should not be surprised if at this moment they are negotiating with the government to register some candidate of the PUD.
From the Freedom and Socialism Party (PSL) we propose to the leftist forces grouped in the Encuentro Popular Alternativo to continue publicly denouncing the arbitrary and anti-democratic character of the current government, which closed any possibility for the left that opposes the government to have a presidential candidate. To continue in the streets demanding our political rights, rejecting the violation of democratic liberties and confronting the brutal capitalist shock that Maduro is unloading on the shoulders of the working people for the benefit of national and transnational capitalists.
We reject the proscription of Manuel Isidro Molina’s candidacy
The government denied Manuel Isidro Molina the possibility of registering as a presidential candidate, with the explicit argument that he was against the government, and also backed by the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV) and leftist parties that oppose the government. They were clear about it.
From the Socialism and Freedom Party (PSL) we reject this crude anti-democratic maneuver that once again shows the authoritarian character of Maduro’s Chavista government and its willingness to disregard political and democratic rights in its eagerness to remain in power against all odds, despite not enjoying popular favor.
The government representatives pressured the directors of Nuvipa, an organization which had agreed to provide its electoral credentials to the Alternative Popular Movement (MPA) to register Manuel Isidro Molina as presidential candidate, backed by the MPA and the PCV.
It is worth mentioning that the MPA, as well as 300 other political organizations, had requested their legalization before the National Electoral Council since last year, without obtaining a response. For its part, the PCV was intervened by the government through the Supreme Court of Justice.
We reiterate our rejection of these proscriptive measures that prepare the ground for fraudulent elections.
Translated by Venezuelanvoices.org from two separate statements published in Laclase.info
Translator’s notes
1- Benjamín Rausseo is a comedian and businessman, better known by his pseudonym “Count of Guácharo”.
2- The term refers to those who pose as opposition politicians but have business and corruption links to the bolibourgeoisie and the government.
3- A few minutes before the deadline for the registration of presidential candidacies, the government allowed the registration of Manuel Rosales, an ex governor already defeated by Chavez in the 2006 presidential elections and who does not fare well in the polls. It’s not clear whether he will have the support of María Corina Machado, banned by the government, who obtained more than 90% in a primary election of the main center-right and right-wing opposition parties.
Venezuelan Voices 