Venezuelan democracy coalition denounces new candidates as 'scorpions' aiming to railroad opposition victory

The National Electoral Council (CNE), which remains under direct control of the communist Maduro regime, is limiting election registration to new candidates who do not pose an actual threat to the Chavismo movement.

While some of the candidates allowed to register have styled themselves as members of the opposition, Venezuelan opposition sources told ADN that only those candidates who are separate from the Unity coalition have been allowed to enter political races.

The intention, according to the opposition is to dilute the Unity Coalition vote with multiple candidates, with the ultimate aim of giving Maduro just enough of a lead to prevail in the upcoming presidential election.

María Corina Machado, the only woman who aspired to enter the presidential election was disqualified by the communist regime despite widespread support to allow her to participate in the elections.

Machado recently designated a trusted philosophy professor, Corina Yoris, to represent the Unity coalition in the upcoming presidential elections, but the academic was prohibited from registering in the candidacy process, which are limited to two qualified party cards: UNT and MUD.

Now, a new group of strictly male candidates, commonly referred to as “scorpions” because they “betrayed” the Unity opposition coalition, signed up to favor the ruling party, since they have no chance of winning and only cause the true opposition to divide.

This the new list of candidates permitted to register for the upcoming presidential election include the following:

Nicolás Maduro: Incumbent President

⁠Luis Eduardo Martínez: Considered a “scorpion” politician.

⁠Antonio Ecarri: Considered a “scorpion” politician.

⁠Juan Carlos Alvarado: Considered a “scorpion” politician.

Daniel Ceballos: Former political prisoner, considered a “scorpion.”

Benjamín Rausseo: Comedian.

Javier Bertucci: Evangelical pastor, former candidate.

⁠José Brito: Considered a “scorpion” deputy.

Claudio Fermín: Considered a “scorpion” politician.

Luis Ratti: Considered a “scorpion” politician.

Enrique Márquez: Former vice president of the CNE.

Manuel Rosales: Former presidential candidate

The Venezuelan dictatorship confirmed this Monday that the nomination and registration of candidates are now officially closed, causing the Unity coalition to be left without a real candidate for the presidential elections.

“Nicolás Maduro has never allowed us to be given access to the nomination system to be able to register the UNIDAD candidacy,” the movement said in a statement. “The vast majority of the people want to vote to achieve change for Venezuela with the power of the vote.”

The Unity opposition coalition has also demanded a 72-hour extension “due to the flagrant violation of our rights.”