María Corina Machado sends a message to the Armed Forces: “The time has come”

María Corina Machado, one of the most prominent figures of the Venezuelan opposition, has sent a strong message to the country’s military and police, urging them to act in favor of the “will for change” expressed in the elections five months ago. In a context of growing political tension, Machado has stressed the importance of security forces aligning themselves with popular clamor and questioning their loyalty to the current government of Nicolás Maduro.

In a message spread through the social network “Military citizen, police citizen, this message is for you. The time has come for definition and to tear down the last obstacle that separates us from freedom. Venezuela trusts in you. I trust in the moral reserve of our men of honor and of weapons. See you soon in the streets”, wrote Machado.

(Read also: María Corina Machado asks Venezuelans to say “CPI acts now” so that there is “justice” in their country)

The opposition leader emphasized that the Venezuelan people are “united in a single cry” and that each individual, deep down, has already made the right decision, waiting only for a collective resolution to act. This call to action comes at a critical time, just 13 days before the presidential inauguration scheduled for January 10, when Maduro plans to be sworn in as head of state for a third consecutive term.

A call to conscience

Machado urged the military and police to reflect on their role in the current political situation in the country. He asked them to question whether silence does not make them complicit in the “current tyranny” and whether undue obedience does not put them at the service of a “handful of criminals.” “Check, in the privacy of your conscience, if your superiors are not asking you, precisely you, to be that soldier whom (the Liberator Simón) Bolívar cursed for using weapons against his own people,” he expressed.

The former deputy He also questioned whether weapons, whose exclusive use is conferred by the nation, are truly at the service of the sovereign will of Venezuelans, their Constitution and their laws, or if they only serve a group of corrupt and criminals.. This message comes at a time of uncertainty, with the Minister of Defense, Vladimir Padrino López, reiterating his loyalty to Maduro and ensuring that the Armed Forces will accompany the president in his inauguration.

Political and electoral context

The Chavista leader Nicolás Maduro was proclaimed winner of the July 28, 2024 elections by the National Electoral Council (CNE), based on some results that have not yet been published in a disaggregated manner. This fact has generated controversy and mistrust, especially because the approved schedule for the electoral process established the publication of these results.

For its part, the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), the largest opposition alliance, claims the victory of Edmundo González Urrutia, based on 83.5% of the minutes that they claim to have gathered through witnesses and table members. These documents, however, are considered fake by the government.

The position of the Armed Forces

The Minister of Defense, Vladimir Padrino López reaffirmed his loyalty to Maduro and announced that the Armed Forces will accompany the president in his inauguration. Padrino López stressed that the soldiers are aware of the “great responsibility of taking care of the decrees of popular sovereignty.” This statement underlines the official position of the armed forces, which until now They have shown firm support for the Maduro government.

(Read also: María Corina Machado denounces the Maduro regime’s siege of the Argentine Embassy in Venezuela)

The uncertainty before the takeover

With the presidential inauguration just around the corner, uncertainty and political tension in Venezuela continue to rise. The opposition, led by figures such as María Corina Machado, continues to look for ways to mobilize the population and security forces to achieve political change. The question that many are asking is whether the military and police will heed the call of the opposition or whether they will maintain their loyalty to the Maduro government.

FEDERICO PARRA/AFP

Venezuela’s political future remains uncertain. The division between the government and the opposition, as well as the loyalty of the security forces, will play a crucial role in the coming days. The international community is also watching developments closely, hoping that a peaceful and democratic solution can be found to the country’s political crisis.