Venezuela court upholds ban on leading opposition presidential candidate Machado

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Item 1 of 2 Venezuela's Attorney General Tarek Saab addresses the media, in Caracas, Venezuela January 26, 2024. REUTERS/Gaby Oraa
[1/2]Venezuela's Attorney General Tarek Saab addresses the media, in Caracas, Venezuela January 26, 2024. REUTERS/Gaby Oraa Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
CARACAS, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Venezuela's Supreme Justice Tribunal on Friday upheld a ban which prevents presidential candidate Maria Corina Machado from holding office, upending the opposition's plans for elections planned later this year.
With its ruling, Venezuela's top court has barred Machado, a 56-year-old industrial engineer, from registering her candidacy for presidential elections scheduled for the second half of 2024.
The decision came hours after three of Machado's allies were detained on accusations of conspiracy, amid growing tensions between the government of President Nicolas Maduro and the political opposition.
The United States has conditioned a continuation of sanctions relief, granted in October on the back of an electoral deal signed in Barbados, on Maduro freeing political prisoners and "wrongfully detained" Americans and making progress toward removing bans on holding office imposed on a number of opposition politicians.
Venezuela in December released 24 of its own citizens and 10 Americans, including six classed as "wrongfully detained," in exchange for freedom for a Maduro official and the extradition of a Malaysian businessman wanted by the U.S.
But the upheld ban on Machado could set relations back between the two countries.
The court said it upheld findings that Machado supported U.S. sanctions, had been involved in corruption, and had lost money for Venezuela's foreign assets, including U.S.-based oil refiner Citgo and chemicals company Monomeros, which operates in Colombia.
"The regime decided to finish off the agreement in Barbados. What it didn't finish was our fight to see democracy win via free and fair elections," Machado said in a message via X.
Earlier, Attorney General Tarek Saab accused Guillermo Lopez, Luis Camacaro and Juan Freites of forming part of a group of at least 11 people who he said tried to rob a military weapons arsenal last year ahead of a planned assault on a pro-Maduro state governor.
Machado's Vente Venezuela party, to which the three belong, said on its X account that Camacaro and Freites had appeared in court in Caracas on Thursday without private legal representation and without any contact with their families permitted, calling it an "illegal and arbitrary" procedure. It did not mention Lopez.
Saab said on state television that the three were "criminals."
The U.S. State and Treasury departments did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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Report by Vivian Sequera, Mayela Armas and Deisy Buitrago; Writing by Oliver Griffin and Isabel Woodford; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien

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Thomson Reuters

Vivian reports on politics and general news from Venezuela's capital, Caracas. She is interested in reporting on how Venezuela's long economic crisis, with its rampant inflation, has affected human rights, health and the Venezuelan people, among other topics. She previously worked for the Associated Press in Venezuela, Colombia, Cuba and Brazil.

Thomson Reuters

Since 2018 Mayela has reported for Reuters on Venezuela’s economy and general news from capital Caracas. She is particularly interested in covering the effects of Venezuela’s economic crisis and high inflation, especially concerning the effects this has on the day-to-day lives of people and families. She also writes about how the country’s finances are managed, as well as Venezuela’s main industries. Before she joined Reuters Mayela worked at local media outlets.

Thomson Reuters

Deisy reports on oil and energy and general news from Venezuela's capital, Caracas. She is also interested in reporting on politics and the environment. Deisy has been working with Reuters in Caracas since 2001, where she started writing on violent anti-government protests, the death of Venezuela’s former President Hugo Chávez, and problems at state oil company PDVSA, among other topics. She loves animals like dogs and cats!

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