News Desk

The Advocate Post: As Venezuela prepares for what could be a significant presidential election this weekend, one of the key figures in the race isn’t listed on the ballot: María Corina Machado. She is known for energizing Venezuela’s opposition movement and is viewed by many voters as the primary challenger to socialist President Nicolás Maduro.

Twelve years ago, María Corina Machado made her debut in Venezuelan politics by challenging the late President Hugo Chávez during his annual state of the nation address in Congress. At the time, Chávez was at the height of his power, while Machado, a minor opposition figure who had lost her bid to run against Chávez in the presidential race, interrupted him with a shout from the floor. Chávez dismissed her as a nuisance, famously retorting,

“An eagle doesn’t hunt a fly.”

Once again, on Sunday, María Corina Machado will not appear on the ballot, despite her widespread popularity. A staunch capitalist advocating for the privatization of several state industries, Machado secured over 90% of the opposition primary vote last year.

However, she has been disqualified from running for office due to accusations that she failed to disclose certain food vouchers in her asset declaration. Machado has criticized the decision to bar her, which was upheld by Venezuela’s Supreme Court, as illegitimate, unjust, and unconstitutional.

The current opposition presidential candidate, Edmundo González, is supported by María Corina Machado, who has actively campaigned for him to rally voters. Experts believe their combined efforts might represent the most substantial challenge to Nicolás Maduro’s hold on power in years, as he seeks a third term. Below is an edited interview with Machadoconducted this week in Caracas, streamlined for clarity and brevity.