The Venezuelan opposition united in the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD). will choose a presidential candidate this Sunday to take part in the 2024 elections, through primaries that have come under fire even in the last few hours and whose outcome, according to pollsters, seems a foregone conclusion.

The entire census of voters, almost 20 million people, opportunity to choose a favorite from a list of 10 candidates – four women and six men – after former governor Henrique Capriles and former lawmakers Freddy Superlano and Roberto Henriques withdrew from the race in recent days.

The candidates are opponents Maria Corina Machado, Carlos Prosperi, Andres Caleca, Tamara Adrian, Delsa Solorzano, Andres Velasquez, Cesar Pérez Vivas, Cesar Almeida, Gloria Pinho and Luis Farias.

The first polling stations opened their doors at 8:00 local time. according to an agenda set by the organization to begin the process while the laggards are still finalizing the details of accepting voters.

Former MP Maria Corina Machado is considered the clear winner of this election.with a lead in voting intention, according to public opinion research, five times greater than that of his closest rival, former lawmaker Carlos Prosperi, who has raised objections in the last few hours asking for the primaries to be postponed.

Prosperi said the National Primary Commission (CNP), which organizes these votes, acted with caution. inequality in the selection of personnel who will work at polling stations, where there is a “disproportionate trend” in Machado’s favor, he said.

Despite reports of “serious irregularities”, The former MP confirmed on Saturday that he would remain in the contest to “eradicate these vices”.although he conditioned the acceptance of the results on a variety of factors, among which he cited the possibility that “some tables have not been established” or that there are cases where the records indicate figures different from the manual vote count.

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The remaining candidates declared their support for the PNP and called on citizens to vote in 3,010 centers located throughout the country, as a first step towards ending Chavismo, which has been in power since 1999.

Since it is a self-governing process, It does not have the usual centers used by the electoral body, Voting centers are located in places such as public squares, private homes, commercial establishments and parking lots.

Also close to 400,000 Venezuelans abroad registered to vote in 28 countries. after the process was suspended in Argentina because it coincided with that country’s presidential elections, and in Israel to preserve the safety of citizens due to escalating violence in the Gaza Strip.

If Machado’s victory is confirmed, he will not be able to register for the presidential election in the second half of 2024. because she is burdened by disqualificationdictated by the Accounts Chamber, which does not allow him to hold elected positions until July 2030, which the opposition considers an unconstitutional measure.

Dr. Danivel Zovatto, regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), noted in an information card sent Aristegui News, that the primaries “after Nicolas Maduro’s government and the opposition agreed this week in Barbados to respect the constitutional calendar and hold presidential elections in the second half of 2024.”

This is the day after The US eased sanctions on the oil and gas sector for six months, “Which will only expand if Maduro continues to take steps to restore democracy in the country and allows an opposition candidate to truly challenge him for power,” he notes.

(according to information from EFE And Aristegui News)