Venezuela’s opposition presidential candidate Machado names substitute

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CARACAS, Venezuela, March 23, (AP): Venezuelan opposition powerhouse María Corina Machado on Friday named a substitute to her presidential bid while she fights a government ban on her running for office.
The announcement comes as Machado faces increasing political repression from the government of President Nicolás Maduro as well as pressure from foreign leaders and fellow government opponents to abandon her candidacy.
Machado made the announcement two days after authorities arrested two of her campaign staffers and issued warrants for seven more, accusing them of links to an alleged anti-government plot.
She told reporters that college professor Corina Yoris will be registered as an opposition faction’s presidential candidate ahead of a Monday deadline. The presidential election is set for July 28.
“Today is a great day and we have taken a big step, a great step, for the electoral victory in which we will defeat Nicolas Maduro,” Machado said from her campaign headquarters in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas. She said Yoris is “a person with my full confidence, honorable, who will carry out this process with the support and trust of everyone.”
As of the announcement, Machado said, Yoris was not subject to a ban on running for office.
Machado, a former lawmaker, overwhelmingly won an October primary election organized by an opposition faction. But the governing party-loyal Supreme Tribunal of Justice in January affirmed a ban on her running for office, and fellow government critics pressed her to stand down to get behind an alternate candidate.
The primary of the United States-backed Unitary Platform coalition was organized by an independent commission without any assistance from Venezuela’s electoral authorities. Machado is not part of the coalition, but she was allowed to run as an independent.
Machado said Yoris will be registered as the candidate of both the Democratic Unity Table and A New Time parties.
“I am going to continue traveling throughout Venezuela, bringing strength and hope to every corner of the country,” Machado said. “We are in this together. We are a great team.”

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