The US has set a deadline for the Maduro regime to rehabilitate the opposition candidate

The US government has given Venezuela until November 30 to allow all candidates, including María Corina Machado, who won the October primaries, to run in the 2024 presidential election.

“By the end of November, we should see a rehabilitation process for all the candidates, including Maria Corina Machado. The Venezuelan people should decide who their leaders are,” Juan Gonzalez, a top adviser to US President Joe Biden on Latin American affairs, told the news station. NTN24.

Gonzalez indicated that the U.S. government expects the release of “Americans and other political prisoners unjustly detained in Venezuela.”

In the interview, the adviser said that if these conditions are not met, the United States will modify the sanctions against Venezuela after the signing of an electoral agreement between the government of Nicolás Maduro and the opposition on October 17 in Barbados.

“We must see the results that prove that this first step has been successful. We have taken a big step to send a signal of our commitment, but after November 30, if we do not meet these expectations, we must take steps to remove this relief from sanctions,” he said.

“We can fully withdraw public licenses, and we are working on different options in consultation with Congress,” Gonzalez added.

On October 22, the Venezuelan opposition party held primary elections in which María Corina Machado, who was disqualified from holding elected office by executive order, won a landslide victory.

However, Venezuela’s Supreme Court announced a few days later that it was suspending “for all intents and purposes” all phases of the opposition primaries in response to an appeal filed by opposition vice-president José Brito. In the process.

Following the signing of agreements between the government and the Venezuelan opposition base aimed at the 2024 presidential election, the US government temporarily eased restrictions on the exploitation of the South American country’s rich oil and gas resources.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has temporarily authorized US companies to carry out certain activities in the Venezuelan hydrocarbon sector that are restricted and conditional on the renewal of relief, pursuant to agreements between the government and the opposition for the 2024 presidential election.

Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro has vowed to hold presidential elections in 2024 “with or without obstructions”, representing a “sovereign decision” for his country, which, he says, will not accept “black mail”. ”.

“Next year we will hold a presidential election, it is in the constitution, it will be carried out, as always, without criminality, with or without obstacles”, announced Maduro during a meeting with political, economic. and social sectors broadcast by the public broadcaster VTV. (with EFE)

Infographics Gazeta do Povo[Clique para ampliar]