The re-elected president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, announced today, August 9, that he does not intend to negotiate with his opponent, Maria Corina Machado.
This announcement comes almost two weeks after the Venezuelan elections of 2024, where the Chavista leader’s victory was ratified by the National Electoral Council of Venezuela (CNE).
However, the election results have been described as a “fraud” by the opposition faction led by candidates Edmundo Gonzalez and Maria Corina Machado.
This political landscape has sparked a series of marches and protests called by anti-Chavez figures, resulting in the tragic deaths of more than a dozen people.
But why did Nicolas Maduro refuse to negotiate with Maria Corina Machado? What did the opposition leader request?
Maria Corina Machado
Nicolas Maduro maintains that the only negotiation with Maria Corina Machado is that she surrenders to justice
At a press conference held today, August 9, Nicolas Maduro reaffirmed that the only negotiation that should be undertaken with Maria Corina Machado is that of surrendering to justice.
He pointed out that his opponent must answer for the “crimes he committed“.
It is worth noting that in 2014, the High Political Command of the Bolivarian Revolution accused Maria Corina Machado of orchestrating an assassination plot against Nicolas Maduro.
“The only one with whom he has to negotiate in this country with Machado is the fiscal general,”
In this regard, Nicolas Maduro revealed during the same press conference that he will call for a political dialogue with the 38 parties registered with the CNE with a view to achieving “instances for future understanding”.
Maria Corina Machado proposes a “negotiated transition” to Nicolas Maduro
For its part, Maria Corina Machado put on the table to achieve a “negotiated transition” so that Nicolas Maduro would leave the presidential chair of Venezuela with certain “guarantees”.
The opposition leader would have opened the door to this agreement today, August 9th, according to responses to an AFP questionnaire taken up by La Nación.
Thus, the negotiation of Maria Corina Machado with Nicolas Maduro would consist of providing him with “guarantees, safe-conducts and incentives”.
It is worth noting that Maria Corina Machado also requested the intervention of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO), the president-elect of Mexico, and Claudia Sheinbaum so that Nicolas Maduro would accept their attempts to negotiate.
As of this writing, the Mexican government has not responded to Maria Corina Machado‘s request.
Nicolas Maduro