2023 Unitary Platform presidential primaries

The 2023 Unitary Platform presidential primaries were primary elections held on 22 October 2023, to choose the opposition candidate of the coalition in the elections of the following year for the presidency of Venezuela. The first official announcement of the primaries was made on 16 May 2022 by the coalition, setting 2023 as the year in which such elections would be held. They were held in Venezuela, as well as in 29 countries and 77 cities abroad.^[1]

2023 Unitary Platform presidential primaries

← 2012 22 October 2023

Nominee María Corina Machado Carlos Prosperi Party Vente Venezuela Democratic Action Popular vote 2,253,825 112,532 Percentage 92.35% 4.61%

Previous Unitary Platform nominee Henrique Capriles PJ Unitary Platform nominee María Corina Machado Vente Venezuela

The primaries were independently organized by the National Primary Commission, without the assistance of the National Electoral Council and with the use of manual voting.^[2] Venezuelan NGOs and political parties have denounced the use of disinformation, death threats, and physical attacks by Chavismo supporters and by the National Liberation Army (ELN), a far-left Colombian guerrilla group, on opposition candidates.

Timeline

June

On 3 June 2023 a group of women identified with the ruling party insulted and physically assaulted pre-candidate Henrique Capriles during a visit to Santa Inés, Carabobo state, in an attempt to disrupt his campaign.^[3][4]

On 30 June 2023, the Comptroller General announced that pre-candidate and former National Assembly member María Corina Machado was disqualified from holding public office for 15 years, linking her to alleged crimes of Juan Guaidó, as well as supporting international sanctions against the country. She can still participate in the opposition primaries because they are not regulated by Maduro's government.^[5][6][7] Capriles has the same sentence and cannot hold office until 2032.^[5] Analysts determined that the accusation of having participated in the interim was incoherent, taking into account that María Corina was not a member of the 2015 opposition National Assembly (being prevented by a disqualification from the Comptroller's Office), in addition to never having been appointed in any position in Guaidó's interim government.^[8] The disqualification has been considered illegal and unconstitutional by several jurists, including constitutional lawyer Allan Brewer Carías [es]. The Latin American and Caribbean Network for Democracy cited the precedent of the Petro Urrego v. Colombia sentence of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in 2020, which determined that "it is a serious violation of political human rights if an administrative authority, and not a judge through due judicial process, politically disqualifies a citizen".^[9]

July

On 10 July 2023, reported militants of the Communist Party of Venezuela filed a writ of amparo to the Supreme Tribunal of Justice to appoint an ad hoc board considering to the party, saying that it is "kidnapped" by its general secretary Óscar Figuera. The action followed the patten of the Democratic Action, Copei and Tupamaro parties, where new presidencies were imposed judicially, co-opting the name and symbols of the parties. Communist movements in Latin America expressed their support for the party, as well as the Communist Workers' Platform USA and the American Council of Bolsheviks, who said in a joint statement "the [United Socialist Party of Venezuela] (PSUV), as a servant of the bourgeoisie, can never fulfill their false promise of socialism".^[10][11]

The same day, Venezuelan fact checking outlet Cazadores de Fake News denounced a discredit operation against María Corina Machado. The operation was promoted by a disinformation network that originally spread disinformation Leopoldo López, Juan Guaidó and other opposition politicians, and now focused in attacking María Corina.^[12]

On 12 July, eight out of the thirteen opposition candidates held a debate in the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello. It was the first presidential debate in Venezuela in 11 years, since 2012. The participants were María Corina Machado for Vente Venezuela, Carlos Prósperi for Democratic Action, Freddy Superlano for Popular Will, transgender candidate Tamara Adrián for Unidos por la Dignidad, Delsa Solórzano for Encuentro Ciudadano, Andrés Velásquez for La Causa R, César Pérez Vivas for Concertación Ciudadana and Andrés Caleca for Movimiento por Venezuela.^[13][14][15]

On 15 July, pro-government militants tried to attack María Corina during a campaign act in Vargas state. The following day, on 16 July, prevented a campaign rally in Petare, in the east of Caracas.^[16][17]

On 27 July, the Popular Will denounced that Freddy Superlano, the party's pre-candidate, had his passport taken away by Venezuelan authorities at the Atanasio Girardot international bridge on the border with Colombia.^[18]

On 22 July, Vente Venezuela denounced death threats to María Corina by the National Liberation Army (ELN), a far-left Colombian guerrilla group, after her campaign headquarters in La Fría, Táchira state, was painted overnight with messages such as "death to María Corina" and "primaries without María Corina", signed by the ELN. Four days later, the group denied being the authors of those threats.^[19][20]

August

On 12 August, pre-candidate Delsa Solórzano denounced death threats involving the ELN, including messages that reached her through social networks such as "the collective forces of the ELN are going to kill you". The Public Ministry announced that it would investigate these threats.^[21]

On 14 August, the Unitary Platform issued a communiqué rejecting statements by government authorities linking the opposition primaries to political violence.^[22]

On 15 August, supporters of Chavism attacked followers of Henrique Capriles in a rally in Apure state. According to his party, Justice First, this was the seventh aggression against the pre-candidate or his followers since 29 May.^[23]

October

On 12 October, Fuerza Vecinal requested the suspension of the primaries, arguing that "There were not conditions".^[24][25] On 21 October, the day before the primaries, the regulatory entity CONATEL prohibited several media from covering the elections, for which reason the main radio circuits in Venezuela had to suspend operations, as well as television channels. The fact was denounced by the National Union of Press Workers (SNTP).^[26][27]

Public opinion

In September 2023, a Frequency 58 poll concluded that voters feared that the government would prevent the primary elections.^[28]

According to polls conducted by Delphos in October 2023, the primaries raised the motivation of Venezuelans, with 67% of the population supporting the idea of voting in the primaries, compared to 46% in November 2022.^[29]

Conduct

In the early morning of 22 October, Acción Democrática candidate, Carlos Prosperi, insulted journalist Eugenio Martínez, calling him "mythomaniac", after Martínez questioned accusations about the process of appointment of board members.^[30]

The president of the National Primary Commission (CP), Jesus Maria Casal, offered the first balance of the primaries around 9:15 a.m., stating that by that time more than 70% of the polling stations had been installed and that by then no incidents had been registered.^[31]

In the morning, in the El Guarataro neighborhood of western Caracas, colectivos prevented the installation of the voting center in the area. The non-governmental organization Voto Joven denounced that the groups stole material from a voting table and that violence with a firearm was registered.^[32] Neighbors of the neighborhood installed the voting center after the intimidation.^[33] In Plaza La Estrella, in Caracas, the beginning of voting was postponed due to the intentional burning of garbage in the center of the voting point.^[34][35] Nuns of the Patronato San José de Tarbes denounced that voters who tried to participate were threatened by colectivos, and that the center had to be moved to another location.^[36] Also in the morning, armed civilians entered the voting point La Cañada, in San Juan parish, pointed at the coordinator of the voting center and took away a table during the beginning of the process, firing several shots.^[37]

In Santa Rosalía parish, motorcyclists threw a tear gas cannister in the vicinity of the voting center. The point remained open and voters continued with the process.^[38][39] In the afternoon, two men fired shots into the air at the voting point in Las Acacias, Caracas. Voters temporarily dispersed before returning to the polling place again.^[37]

The vice-president of the Regional Board of Monagas state, Dexcy Moya, denounced that collectives shouted expletives and threats in several voting centers in Maturin.^[40]

From his polling station, Prosperi criticized again the organization of the primary elections, stating that in some polling stations there was no distribution of electoral material. Prosperi was booed by the voters present.^[41][42] A video was later leaked on social networks where Prosperi disowned in advance the results of the primaries, before they were announced.^[43][44] His party Acción Democrática rejected the statements, saying that "it does not represent the position of the party" and to be "firm with unity".^[45]

In Catia, Caracas, Chavistas played loud pro-government music during the process. Voters continued the process normally.^[34]

During the primaries there was a high turnout in traditionally pro-government areas of Carabobo state.^[46] The same happened in low income areas of Caracas, including Antímano, La Vega, El Valle and San Martín; in the case of the latter, even in spite of threats from colectivos. María Corina Machado voted in the elections with two of her sons. Henrique Capriles, Manuel Rosales and journalist Roland Carreño, recently released from prison, also voted. At his polling place, Jesús María Casal was greeted with the slogan "sí se puede" (yes we can).^[34] María Corina would later declare that "We have exceeded the expectations of the primaries".^[47]

Results

The National Primary Commission announced that the transmission of primary results would be delayed due to a cyber-attack on the Commission's servers.^[48] On Monday, 23 October, the third electoral bulletin of the National Primary Commission is delivered, where it is announced that with 92.65% counted, María Corina Machado maintains more than 90% of the votes. Therefore, she will be the candidate for the Unitary Platform for the 2024 Venezuelan presidential elections.

References

1. "Venezolanos podrán votar en 80 ciudades de 31 países en la primaria opositora". Voz de América (in Spanish). 27 May 2023. from the original on 13 June 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
2. "Primaria opositora se hará sin CNE y con voto manual – bancaynegocios.com". Banca y Negocios (in European Spanish). 16 June 2023. from the original on 23 June 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
3. "El antichavista Henrique Capriles es agredido durante visita en el centro de Venezuela". Swissinfo. 3 June 2023. from the original on 27 October 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
4. "Grupos chavistas atacaron al líder opositor Henrique Capriles durante una visita al interior de Venezuela". Infobae. 3 June 2023. from the original on 29 October 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
5. Armas, Mayela; Sequera, Vivian (30 June 2023). "Venezuela opposition candidate Machado barred from holding office-gov't". Reuters. from the original on 30 June 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
6. Perdomo, Luna (30 June 2023). "José Brito: Contraloría inhabilitó a María Corina Machado por 15 años". Tal Cual (in Spanish). from the original on 10 July 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
7. Rodríguez, Ronny (30 June 2023). "Contraloría inhabilita a María Corina Machado por 15 años, dice José Brito". Efecto Cocuyo (in Spanish). from the original on 10 July 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
8. "Los cinco vicios que hacen nula la inhabilitación de María Corina Machado". Acceso a la Justicia (in Spanish). from the original on 12 July 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
9. "Alerta Venezuela: Inhabilitación inconstitucional de la candidata de la oposición María Corina Machado manipula elecciones en Venezuela". REDLAD (in Spanish). from the original on 10 July 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
10. "¿Por qué Nicolás Maduro se quiere deshacer del PCV?". El Nacional. 12 July 2023. from the original on 12 July 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
11. Bolsheviks, American Council of (9 July 2023). "Joint Statement of Solidarity With the Communist Party of Venezuela". New Spark. from the original on 16 July 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
12. "Alerta: hay una operación de influencia en contra de @MariaCorinaYA en curso. (...)". Twitter (in Spanish). 10 July 2023. from the original on 29 October 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
13. "¡Histórico! Tuvieron que pasar 11 años para que se volviera a celebrar un debate electoral en Venezuela". Expansión (in Spanish). 12 July 2023. from the original on 13 July 2023. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
14. "Venezuela: ocho candidatos opositores realizaron el primer debate antes de las primarias". France24. 12 July 2023. from the original on 12 July 2023. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
15. "Hablan los candidatos: vea en vivo el debate de los opositores en la UCAB". El Nacional. 12 July 2023. from the original on 12 July 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
16. "Chavistas intentaron agredir a María Corina Machado cuando se trasladaba a un acto de campaña en el estado La Guaira". NTN24 (in Spanish). 14 July 2023. from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
17. "Turba chavista impidió acto de María Corina Machado en Petare, al este de Caracas". NTN24 (in Spanish). from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
18. "Voluntad Popular denuncia que autoridades le retiraron el pasaporte a Freddy Superlano". El Nacional. 27 July 2023. from the original on 27 July 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
19. Semana (22 July 2023). "Urgente | ELN amenaza de muerte a María Corina Machado en Venezuela: le exigen que se aparte de las elecciones primarias". Semana (in Spanish). from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
20. "ELN niega autoría en grafitis que aparecieron en una sede de María Corina Machado". 26 July 2023. from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
21. "La Fiscalía investigará amenazas de muerte contra Delsa Solórzano". El Nacional. 14 August 2023. from the original on 15 August 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
22. "Plataforma Unitaria rechaza pretensión del gobierno de vincular la primaria con la violencia política". El Nacional. 14 August 2023. from the original on 15 August 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
23. "Simpatizantes del chavismo agredieron a seguidores de Henrique Capriles durante un acto en Apure". El Nacional. 15 August 2023. from the original on 15 August 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
24. "Fuerza Vecinal pide suspender y replantear primarias: «Las condiciones no están dadas»". Tal Cual. 13 October 2023. from the original on 22 October 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
25. "Fuerza Vecinal pide suspender las primarias porque están "destinadas al fracaso"". El Nacional. 13 October 2023. from the original on 15 October 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
26. Perdomo, Luna (20 October 2023). "SNTP: Conatel ha ordenado no cubrir las elecciones primarias". Tal Cual. from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
27. "SNTP denuncia que Conatel ha ordenado a varios medios no cubrir elecciones primarias". Correo del Caroní. 21 October 2023. from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
28. "Electores temen que el gobierno impida la primaria opositora, según encuesta". El Nacional. 3 September 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
29. Mawad, Tony Frangie (17 October 2023). "According to Polls, the Primaries Raised Venezuelans' Spirits". Caracas Chronicles. from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
30. Espacio Público (22 October 2023). "Elecciones primarias bajo hostigamiento. Primer balance de la jornada". from the original on 22 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
31. "Jesús María Casal: Más del 70% de las mesas ya están abiertas para las primarias". Tal Cual. 22 October 2023. from the original on 22 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
32. "Colectivos impiden instalar centros de votación en el Guarataro, Caracas". El Carabobeño. from the original on 22 October 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
33. "Vecinos de El Guarataro resistieron a colectivos e instalaron el centro de votación para votar en la Primaria (VIDEO) LaPatilla.com". La Patilla. 22 October 2023. from the original on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
34. "The Primaries Are Here | El Feed". Caracas Chronicles. from the original on 22 October 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
35. Efecto Cocuyo. "#EnVideo Punto de votación frente a la bomba de gasolina en plaza La Estrella aún no empieza el proceso de votación. Los votantes denuncian saboteó al proceso y hay personas quemando basura frente al punto". Twitter. from the original on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
36. Luján, Raylí (22 October 2023). "Elección primaria en Venezuela: Así transcurrió la jornada para definir un candidato único opositor". Bloomberg Línea. from the original on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
37. Rivas, Fernanda Ramírez, Lucía, Norma (22 October 2023). "En el municipio Sucre inicio de la elección primaria fluyó a pesar de las trabas de funcionarios y civiles". Crónica Uno. from the original on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
38. "Motorizados lanzan lacrimógena en centro de votación en Caracas, electores vuelven a la fila". El Pitazo (in Spanish). 22 October 2023. from the original on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
39. Aulino, Carmenmilagro. "#VIDEO Electores de la parroquia Santa Rosalía de Caracas afectados por ataque con gas lacrimógeno #22Oct". El Impulso. from the original on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
40. "Primaria en Oriente | Electores reportaron lentitud en la jornada". El Pitazo. from the original on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
41. Zambrano, Reynaldo Mozo (22 October 2023). "Carlos Prosperi denuncia irregularidades en medio de abucheos de votantes". Efecto Cocuyo. from the original on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
42. "Carlos Prosperi fue abucheado en su centro de votación: «¡Fuera, fuera!»". El Nacional. 22 October 2023. from the original on 22 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
43. El Pitazo (22 October 2023). "Publican en redes video de Prosperi desconociendo por adelantado el resultado de la Primaria". from the original on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
44. "Filtraron video de Carlos Prosperi anticipando que no reconocerá resultado de la primaria". Monitoreamos. from the original on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
45. "Acción Democrática rechaza declaraciones de Carlos Prosperi: «No representa la posición del partido»". El Nacional. 22 October 2023. from the original on 22 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
46. Blanco, Dayrí (22 October 2023). "Alta participación durante primarias en zonas oficialistas en Carabobo". Efecto Cocuyo. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
47. Vinogradoff, Ludmila (23 October 2023). "María Corina Machado: «Hemos superado las expectativas de las primarias»". ABC (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 December 2023.
48. Jiménez, Samir (23 October 2023). "Transmisión de resultados de las primarias se retarda por problemas logísticos y técnicos". Analitica (in Spanish). from the original on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.

External links

• www.primariaexteriorve.com
• www.buscadorprimaria2023.com
• "Debate Primarias 2023 #HablanlosCandidatos - VPItv En Vivo". YouTube. 12 July 2023.
• https://comisiondeprimariave.org/