The diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia This Sunday he accepted his nomination as candidate for the largest opposition platform in Venezuela to confront the president Nicolas Maduro in the July 28 elections.
“I accept the immense honor and responsibility of being the candidate of all those who want change through elections. A hug to the people of.” Venezuela“González Urrutia wrote in the first public message after confirming his candidacy.
“Soon I will address all Venezuelans who are betting on the country’s recovery,” he said in a second publication on his X Network account.
The support of María Corina Machado
Machado, a favorite in the polls but barred from public office, expressed support on Saturday for the diplomat, who has worked as a strategist in the country’s main opposition coalition for more than a decade.
“We are united and strong,” Machado said. “We already have a map and we already have a candidate who is supported by everyone, all political parties and good citizens,” he stressed.
The 74-year-old González’s candidacy was unanimously approved by the Democratic Unity Platform (PUD) coalition on Friday after extensive meetings and days of intensive exchange. The support of Machado, who took part in the discussions, is crucial: she is now the most popular opposition leader, having won the opposition primaries with more than 90% of the vote.
According to analysts, the 56-year-old leader has a high probability of transferring her voting intentions to the candidate she supports.
The opposition bloc is concentrating its forces around a single candidate to confront Maduro, who is seeking a third consecutive term against 12 candidates, most of whom are seen as government collaborators. If he succeeds, his term in office would be extended by 18 years.
Until Friday’s decision to unite around González, the opposition had two registered candidates: the diplomat, whose replacement was still tentatively named, and Manuel Rosales, governor of the oil state of Zulia and rival of the late leader Hugo. Chávez in 2006, but he declined on Saturday in favor of the candidate chosen by Machado.
Corina Yoris, Machado’s first choice, failed to register her candidacy amid complaints about the blockage of the platform of the National Electoral Council (CNE), which did not provide any justification for its decision.