CARACAS, (Reuters) – Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado held an overwhelming lead late yesterday in a presidential primary contest with almost 93% of an updated vote tally, said opposition officials, but questions about her candidacy persist.
Nearly 65% of ballot boxes have been counted, officials running the primary said. Machado declared victory overnight after an initial count of about a fourth of the ballots cast in the Sunday contest showed she was winning by a similar margin.
The opposition held the primary to choose a unity candidate to face President Nicolas Maduro of the ruling socialists in his probable re-election bid next year. The contest comes amid pledges by the United States to roll back sanctions relief if the government fails to lift bans preventing some opposition figures from holding office.
Later yesterday, the U.S. government said it looked forward to additional steps needed from Venezuela to ensure a “free, fair and competitive” election next year.
Maduro has been in power for a decade, presiding over a prolonged economic crash and the exodus of more than 7 million Venezuelan who have left the once-wealthy South American nation in search of better prospects elsewhere.
The vote, organized without government help, came despite the relocation of polling places, long lines, and the lack of gasoline and public transport in some areas. The count was also delayed by a server blockage.
Turnout was notable even in traditionally ruling party-allied working class neighborhoods across several cities.
“The opposition has new leadership,” said Benigno Alarcon, director of political studies at Andres Bello Catholic University.
The vote marked the rejection of traditional parties and their policies, said Henry Ramos Allup, leader of social democratic party Democratic Action.
Machado’s nearest rival, former lawmaker Carlos Prosperi, won barely 4% of votes cast, according to the count so far.
Machado, 56, has pledged to privatize state oil company PDVSA if elected president.
But her ability to run in the general election remains uncertain as she is still barred from holding public office over her support of the sanctions on Maduro’s government.
The opposition and government last week signed an election deal allowing each side to choose its candidate according to internal rules.
The United States, which broadly eased sanctions on Venezuelan oil and gas and bonds in response to the deal, has said authorities have until the end of November to begin rescinding the bans against the opposition and releasing political prisoners and “wrongfully detained” Americans.
Though some prisoners were released, the Maduro government repeated on Monday that those who have been disqualified cannot run in 2024.
The opposition says the disqualifications are unlawful, but has been reticent about what it would do if Machado wins the primary but is unable to run next year.
Machado has said she could pressure the electoral authorities to let her register, while others have argued a substitute will be necessary.