Venezuela Opposition Leader Machado Banned From Public Office for 15 Years

  • Machado can’t hold public office for 15 years, government said
  • Opposition leader tops polls on voting intention for primary
Maria Corina Machado after officially registering for the opposition primary in Caracas, Venezuela, on June 23.Photographer: Gaby Oraa/Bloomberg
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Venezuela barred opposition leader María Corina Machado from running in upcoming elections, causing more tension in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential vote.

Machado’s ban, like those slapped on other leading opposition figures including former governor and twice presidential candidate Henrique Capriles, on the face of it seeks to keep her out of next year’s race. In practice, however, she and other candidates are ignoring the bans and hoping the government has to reverse them eventually.