“I Can’t Disqualify Myself” for Presidential Election

(CNN Spanish) — Henrique Capriles, the presidential candidate of the Venezuelan opposition Primero Justicia, said he “will not disqualify himself” because of an executive sanction barring him from public office, and therefore, registered as a candidate for the 2024 presidential election.

“I cannot disqualify myself, I am not going to ask the government for permission to decide whether I can contest or not,” he told a press conference on Monday, referring to his 15 years of political disqualification. In 2017 he was appointed General. Gabriels has pleaded not guilty and denounced the sanction as affecting his political rights.

In September 2021, the EU Election Monitoring Committee warned in its final report of recommendations issued from Brussels after regional elections that “the lack of legal certainty has led to the arbitrary disqualification of candidates”.

“It’s something that’s under discussion,” Gabriels said, noting that he wouldn’t wait for it to be defined to defend his cause, without clarifying what discussions he was referring to. Negotiations are going on between the opposition parties and the government. Restoration of political rights and disqualification are on the table.

Despite his legal efforts inside and outside the country, Capriles cannot hold public office until 2032, after the process launched against him by the Office of Control, when the former governor of the state of Miranda is under investigation due to disqualification against him. Administrative irregularities. Caprilis has pleaded not guilty in the process, where he was found guilty of “acting negligently” by failing to submit budget bills for fiscal years 2011, 2012 and the first quarter of 2013 in accordance with the system’s version.

Gabriels will represent Primero Justicia in opposition primary elections scheduled for October 22, which will determine a constitutionally mandated presidential candidate for 2024.

Gabrieles also referred to the negotiation process between the government and the opposition, recalling that various international actors supported it, including those considered allies of the president in question, Nicolás Maduro, such as Argentine President Alberto Fernández. From Brazil, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva and from Colombia, Gustavo Pedro.

The two parties began the process in August 2021 with Norwegian mediation in Mexico, with the aim of reaching agreements on social, economic, political rights and electoral guarantees.