Internal political conflict in Venezuela resurfaced after early signs of progress appeared during the Barbados accords between Maduro supporters and their rivals. The remark by a prominent opposition figure, suggesting that the Sunday events had no lasting value and emphasizing the need to listen to the people, was echoed by María Corina Machado, who led the primary challenge and remains a central figure for a broad opposition coalition. Government commentators argued that the mechanism used to select a common candidate faced serious legitimacy questions regarding the 2024 presidential election. Maduro himself rejected the criticisms, while his wife, Cilia Flores, described the dissent as baseless. An internal warning was issued that sanctions on Machado, extending to 2030, could deter her participation in the electoral process.
Jorge Rodríguez, the Speaker of the National Assembly, criticized the National Primary Commission (CNP) and Súmate, the electoral observers, labeling the winner of the contest as a target of deceit. In Rodríguez’s account, the so-called Sunday vote did not represent a genuine choice. He framed the event as an American attempt to push the country into anxiety and further sanctions, calling CNP official Jesús María Casal a harsh name and condemning what happened as unacceptable. He recounted conversations from the previous Sunday within Miraflores Palace and insisted that the primary was not a true act of democracy, arguing that outside influence sought to destabilize Venezuela by fomenting unrest.
Rodríguez compared the primary process to earlier political maneuvers surrounding Guaidó, who, with backing from the Trump administration, had claimed the interim presidency in 2019. The comparison underscored concerns about how legitimacy is asserted in moments of political transition, and it framed current events within a broader narrative about constitutional authority and foreign influence.
New dark clouds on the horizon
Machado quickly responded, insisting that Sunday’s vote represented a rigorous citizen check rather than a performative exercise. She argued that the day was a record of civic participation, with votes tallied and photographs preserved as a digitized log. In her view, participants who were present across the country could verify the results against the official digital database maintained by the Primary Commission, making it difficult for any party to misrepresent the outcome. Supporters within the Maduro camp reportedly also turned out to vote, challenging claims that turnout was minimal.
As tensions rose, the leadership signaled a move to seek formal verification through the Barbados framework. Rodríguez announced plans to convene the Barbados verification commission, including Dr. Gerardo Blyde and himself, to review the situation and ensure that guarantees stated in the Barbados accord were met. He argued that the primary deviated from the agreement’s fourth article by bypassing the National Electoral Council (CNE) and emphasized that the CNE has a unique mandate to oversee elections and guard against fraud. The message from Rodríguez and allied figures stressed the importance of maintaining integrity across all voting processes and resisting any attempt to undermine the electoral system.
Questions also surfaced about the reported number of participants in the CNP primary. Rodríguez and Camacho asserted that the turnout was below six hundred thousand, in contradiction to claims of roughly two million participants. Analysts suggested that the framing of turnout aimed to validate Machado’s victory, a leader who has pushed the most hardline positions within the opposition and whose party, Vente Venezuela, was not part of the Barbados negotiations. The narrative framed Machado as the political focal point for a broader strategy of change, with Barbados as the backdrop for negotiations among rival factions.
Winner’s defense
Machado’s supporters pushed back against the notion that the Sunday process lacked legitimacy. Speaking to fellow party members and voters, Machado said that many Venezuelans from diverse sectors had turned out to vote and that the effort reflected a direct expression of popular will. Critics were accused of missing the broader trend of engagement and using the situation to defend entrenched privileges rather than addressing pressing national concerns. Henrique Capriles, who opted not to participate in the primary, offered his own perspective on the dynamics at play, suggesting that the opposition needed to pursue unity and practical commitments.
Rodríguez continued to frame ongoing negotiations as far from a dead end. He asserted that talks with opposition parties remained in play, while underscoring the government’s willingness to accept political realities when they reflect the public interest. He also noted that any decision by Washington to ease or lift sanctions would depend on concrete guarantees regarding future elections. He warned against external pressure that could tilt domestic processes and stressed that Venezuela would not yield to political coercion.
Regarding the Barbados agreements, Machado added that the parties must honor the commitments laid out in the text, including provisions that relate to election governance and oversight. The emphasis was on monitoring compliance and ensuring that electoral guarantees are not merely ceremonial but actively implemented to secure fair participation for all voters.