Maria Corina MachadoThe candidate chosen by the majority in the October primaries to represent the opposition in the Venezuelan presidential elections responded to the Brazilian president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Who indirectly criticized her during a press conference.

In a clear reference to the politically incompetent Machado, Lula said that when he was excluded in 2018, instead of remaining “crying,” he named another candidate for that year’s elections, referring to Fernando Haddad, who lost the election. With Jair Bolsonaro.

“Am I crying, President Lula? Are you saying that because I am a woman?”Machado wrote on the social network X, formerly Twitter. “You don't know me. I'm fighting to assert the right of the millions of Venezuelans who voted for me in the primaries and the millions who have the right to do so in a free presidential election in which I will defeat Maduro,” he added.

He continued: “You prove the violations A tyrant who violates the constitution And the Barbados Convention which you say you support. The only truth is that Maduro is afraid to confront me because he knows that the Venezuelan people are on the street with me today.”

So said the Brazilian president on Wednesday Be happy to announce the dates Presidential elections in Venezuela scheduled for next July 28But he issued a warning to the opposition to Nicolas Maduro.

Lula, who made brief statements to journalists before receiving the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro SanchezHe stated that during his meeting with Maduro last week on the sidelines of the Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), they assured him that the elections would have guarantees.

“What they told me at the meeting I had in Celak was that they would invite observers from all over the world. But if the opposition candidate has the same behavior as our candidate here, then nothing is worth it.”Lula said, referring to the former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2022).

he National Electoral Council The CNE announced on Tuesday that Venezuelan elections will be held on July 28.

In this way, Venezuela respects the agreement reached between the government and the main opposition coalition last October, when they agreed in Barbados to hold elections in the second half of the year.

The ruling party asserts that the dictator Nicolas Maduro He will seek a third term, although the president has not confirmed his candidacy.

Former leaders who make up Democratic Initiative for Spain and the Americas IDEA stressed on Wednesday that Venezuelan elections would not be “free and respectful of the right to vote” without the candidate of the main anti-Chavista coalition.

The IDEA declaration, signed by the Christian Democratic Party, said that “fair, democratic and verifiable” presidential elections could not be held as long as the lack of knowledge of the leadership that gained its legitimacy through María Corina Machado’s primaries continued, and as long as its participation was prohibited. 29 former heads of state and government of Spain and Latin America.

The IDEA group reminded Maduro that Machado is “constitutionally entitled to vote and run for election, because she has not been subjected to a criminal trial or final conviction,” in addition to the fact that her candidacy was enabled through “primary balloting and majority balloting in Parliament.” Venezuelans.”

For former Ibero-American presidents, the “dictatorial regime” in Venezuela “imitates the call and conduct of so-called elections” in which “candidates suitable for them” are registered.

(With information from EFE)