Last modified on July 13, 2024, at 13:12

María Corina Machado

María Corina Machado.jpeg

María Corina Machado Parisca (born October 7 1967 in Caracas) is a Venezuelan Conservative right-wing Politician.[1]

Life

Machado with George W. Bush in the Oval Office (2005)

In 2002, Machado signed the Carmona Decree, which invoked Article 350 of the Constitution, which allows civil disobedience if the state violates democratic principles.[2][3] Due to the chaotic events following the general strike, according to Venezuelan journalist and politician Jorge Olavarría[4] the transitional government that was formed was ousted from power again and those involved were labeled coup plotters by the Chavistas.

Machado is the founder of the non-governmental organization Súmate (Spanish for Join in; Association for the Promotion of the Constitution and Democracy) for the free exercise of political and civil rights.[1]

In 2004, Venezuela's president Hugo Chávez published documents that showed how the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) was funding civil associations in the country, including Súmate, and the tripling of these grants from $250,000 to $0.9 million in 2000/2001. Maria Corina Machado, Alejandro Plaz, and other members were charged with "treason" and "conspiracy" by the Chávez regime for accepting these funds to influence voters for the 2004 re-election referendum. [5]

On November 12, 2011, Machado suffered an assassination attempt at an election rally in Caracas. Unknown persons fired shots. They injured one of Machado's employees. She herself was unharmed.[1]

On 13 January 2012, Machado confronted then President Chávez during the State of the Nation address with the problems of the people as a result of food shortages, crime and nationalization. She accused Chávez of saying that he was protecting the right to property, but at the same time expropriating small businesses. She said: "Expropriation without payment is theft".[6].

In 2012, she founded the Vente Venezuela movement.

In March 2014, Machado was expelled from the chamber at the behest of the then president of parliament because she had accepted an invitation from Panama to speak at the OAS. Shortly before this, the Chavista-dominated parliament had already lifted her parliamentary immunity. In May, the judiciary imposed an exit ban and in early December 2014, she was formally charged with "conspiracy", for which she faces up to 16 years in prison in Venezuela.[7]

As of May 2016, Machado described Venezuela's government as a "military dictatorship" and additionally to the OAS as "mafia-like" and "cruel".[8][9]

In May 2018, she met the two former presidents of Colombia Uribe and Pastrana on the border bridge.[10]

In July 2023, Machado was banned from holding public office for 15 years.[11] After her replacement candidate Corina Yoris was also denied registration to run, Edmundo González now stands as the joint candidate of the opposition alliance Mesa de la Unidad Democrática, who is also supported by Machado. [12] If she had been able to take part in the elections under regular conditions, she would have been certain to win according to various polls. [13]

Machado supports Edmundo González candidacy for President in 2024.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Video shows assassination attempt on opposition politician.
  2. ↑ María Corina Machado.
  3. ↑ analitica.com/bitblio/carmona_estanga/decreto1.asp#firmantes Acta de constitución del Gobierno de Transición Democrática y Unidad Nacional.
  4. ↑ National Assembly (31 May 2002): Investiga los hechos ocurridos los dias 11,12,13 Y 14 de Abril de 2002.; "... si esto va a pasar hay que hacerle las cosas bien hechas, porque eso fue un disparate mayúsculo, técnico o político... "
  5. ↑ SÚMATE TRIAL DECISION - Statement by Tom Casey, Acting Spokesman. of the US Embassy Caracas
  6. ↑ M. Corina Machado se enfrenta a Chávez en discurso y asegura que expropiaciones son un "robo".
  7. ↑ Tjerk Brühwiller, São Paulo (2014-12-04). Maduro's next victim. nzz.ch., NZZ, December 4, 2014
  8. ↑ María Corina Machado: En Venezuela se vive bajo una dictadura militarista, May 31, 2016
  9. ↑ com/MariaCorinaYA/status/798906461309009920 María Corina Machado Verified Account, Twitter, November 16, 2016, quoted on El Nacional.com: Machado al Consejo de la OEA: En Venezuela hay una dictadura cruel, militarista y mafiosa, El Nacional, November 16, 2016
  10. ↑ Machado se reúne con Uribe y Pastrana: Se comprometen a restituir democracia en Venezuela, May 14, 2018
  11. ↑ Alexander Busch (2023-10-19). Government and opposition in Venezuela agree on presidential elections - but clean elections are hardly possible.
  12. ↑ Florantonia Singer (2024-04-20). Edmundo González Urrutia, el candidato que no quería serlo (es).
  13. ↑ Katharina Wegner (2024-06-04). Two against Maduro. IPG-Journal.