Edmundo González, candidate who replaces María Corina Machado in the presidential elections of Venezuela

The Venezuelan opposition ratified the diplomat’s candidacy this Friday Edmund Gonzalez Urrutia to face President Nicolás Maduro in the presidential elections on July 28, instead of the disqualified leader María Corina Machado.

González Urrutia was already registered as a “provisional” candidate for the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), but The coalition decided “unanimously to approve” his final nominationOmar Barboza, secretary general of the alliance, told the press.

“It is a historic decision for the people of Venezuela,” said Barboza. “We have chosen the next president of the Republic.”

González Urrutia, 74, did not accompany him during the statement.

The The majority opposition registered González Urrutia as a presidential candidate after the last minute, after denouncing a blockade of the nomination system that prevented academic Corina Yoris from being nominated., Machado’s first choice to represent her. Barboza in fact avoided expressly pointing out her candidacy as a replacement for the opposition leader.

The process was carried out in an extension granted by the National Electoral Council (CNE), accused of serving Chavismo. The ambassador was the president of the MUD party, acronym for the Democratic Unity Roundtable, later replaced by the PUD, and his candidacy was in principle a “cover” while a unity candidate was defined.

“We celebrate this decision and thank Venezuelans for their trust.“, indicated in X the party Vente Venezuela, of Machado, who “will send a message to the country” in the next few hours.

Machado swept the PUD primaries last year, with more than 90% of the votes, and went to the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) in a mechanism agreed upon in negotiations between the Maduro government and the opposition to review the disqualifications. The sanction, however, was ratified under the claim of the United States and the European Union.

“Unity” candidate

The decision was made after hours of meetings this Friday, hours before the deadline to replace candidates on the ballot.

The governor of the oil state of Zulia, Manuel Rosales, declined his candidacy, which he registered, also at the last minute, with his Un Nuevo Tiempo (UNT) party, which is part of the coalition.

His registration had been branded as “betrayal” by some opponents close to Machado, who for their part claimed that there was “distrust” of Rosales, Hugo Chávez’s rival in 2006.

“It was a unanimous decision. We want to recognize Governor Manuel Rosales, he is a man who keeps his word… who decided to decline his candidacy to join the candidacy of Edmundo González Urrutia and the parties that are supporting Rosales did the same,” Barboza celebrated.

“Edmundo González Urrutia was originally registered as a provisional candidate and today he becomes a definitive candidate, he is already registered and His registration was admitted by the National Electoral Council and was not objected to by anyone.“added Barboza.

Other opposition leaders celebrated the announcement.

It remains for Rosales’ parties and those who supported his candidacy to formalize this Saturday before the CNE the support for González Urrutia so that the votes on those cards are destined for the PUD, said Barboza.

“We have a unanimous candidate, we are not only united, we are super united,” the leader concluded.