The National Assembly unanimously approved legislation known as the Simón Bolívar Law, which will criminalize any support or calls for international sanctions against the government of Nicolás Maduro. It was promulgated on 29 November. People in any way involved with promoting international sanctions against Venezuela will face punishment of up to 30 years imprisonment and up to one million euros in fines. The legislation also classifies international sanctions as crimes against humanity and establishes a national registry of people who are alleged to have taken part in promoting sanctions, who could face other measures such as having their assets frozen or, in the case of foreigners, being expelled from the country. Earlier in November, prosecutors announced an investigation into Maria Corina Machado, leader of the opposition, for treason, for allegedly supporting new U.S. sanctions on Venezuela.

Sources: France 24, BBC, El Pais (1), El Pais (2), Asamblea Nacional

At least 24 people have been killed, many injured and thousands arrested in the context of protests against the unsubstantiated claims that Nicolas Maduro was reelected in the 28 July election. Some of those detained have been charged with crimes of terrorism and inciting hatred. Opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia was forced to flee Venezuela in early September after an arrest warrant was issued against him. Other prominent opposition politicians have also been arrested. In this context, the government suspended the operation of social media platform X for ten days. Reprisals against members of the press and dissidents have been such, that groups of journalists have opted to disseminate the news through AI-created avatars.
Vote tallies collected by opposition observers appear to support the Unitary Front’s assertion of an opposition victory. However, the regime-friendly Supreme Court has sided with Maduro and confirmed his re-election claims.

Sources: DW, Infobae, El Universo, The Guardian,

On 28 July, Venezuela held presidential elections. According to the National Electoral Council (Consejo Nacional Electoral, CNE), a Maduro-allied body, incumbent Nicolas Maduro was re-elected with 51 per cent of votes, with the Unitary Platform’s candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, obtaining 44 per cent of votes. Voter turnout was 59 per cent. The CNE did not substantiate the results and did not make electoral records public. All ten candidates running in the election were men. Maria Corina Machado, who had received overwhelming support during last year’s primary elections, had been banned from running for the opposition’s Unitary Platform. The opposition claimed fraud and stated their electoral records showed the Unitary Platform candidate had won the election. Electoral observers, leaders within the region and other analysts have cast doubt on the results, as these have not been made public.

Sources: Transparencia Electoral, Deutche Welle, InfoBae (1), International IDEA, Infobae (2)

The 28 July presidential election was marred with irregularities, and opposition leaders have claimed there was fraud. Numerous hurdles to the participation of opposition candidates included a ban against the winner of the opposition primaries, Maria Corina Machado, as well as Corina Yoris. Members of the Venezuelan diaspora further faced obstacles to register to vote from abroad, as officials demanded requirements not established in law. The National Electoral Council (CNE), a Maduro-friendly body, claimed the incumbent had been re-elected, despite showing no electoral records to substantiate the results. Thousands of people have taken to the streets to protest the results, decrying fraud. According to the top Prosecutor’s office, at least 1,000 people were detained in the context of protests, for allegedly turning to violence.

Sources: France 24, Infobae, International IDEA (1), International IDEA (2), Deutsche Welle

Members of the Venezuelan diaspora have encountered significant issues when trying to register for the first time or change their information to cast their vote for the 28 July election. The National Electoral Council (Consejo Nacional Electoral-CNE) announced that citizens would be able to register from abroad between 18 March to 16 April, yet many have faced numerous hurdles. These issues have been particularly evident in Argentina, a country with a large Venezuelan diaspora. There, the electoral registration began two weeks after the set time and was only announced through informal channels. Similar accounts of delays and irregularities have been seen throughout Latin America. Other prerequisites to vote, not foreseen in Venezuela's electoral framework, have also been added by Maduro's government, making registration from abroad more costly and timely. Thus, even though Venezuelan citizens might be registered, some cannot afford to go through the process of voting from abroad. 

Sources: Caracas Chronicles, Radio France Internationale, The Associated Press 

A bill known as the ‘Law against Fascism, Neofascism and Similar Expressions’ received preliminary approval from the legislature on 2 April. The bill establishes a broad and ambiguous definition of fascism, in contravention of human rights standards. Critics have expressed their concern over this bill, as it would increase criminalization of President Nicolas Maduro's political opponents and dissent. Its provisions include potential restrictions to free speech and freedom of assembly and association as a consequence of prohibitions on organizations and demonstrations that ‘glorify fascism’. Incitement to or ‘carrying out violent actions as a means or way to exercise political rights’ may carry a sentence of eight to twelve years imprisonment and ineligibility to hold public office. 

Sources: El País, Amnesty International 

Venezuela’s opposition is facing fragmentation as Corina Yoris, Maria Corina Machado’s preferred choice to run in her place in the upcoming elections, was unable to register as presidential candidate in the National Electoral Council’s portal. Machado, who had won the opposition’s October primaries by a landslide, had rallied opposition parties behind Yoris before her candidacy was rejected in a measure deemed as arbitrary by national and international experts. The governor of Zulia, Manuel Rosales, who has been a part of the Unitary Platform, the opposition’s alliance, was able to register his candidacy, but not without criticism within the opposition, due to the lack of internal agreement. Social Democrat leader Enrique Marquez, and Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, the Platform’s preferred choice to serve as temporary candidate, were also able to register while negotiations with the government continue. 

Sources: El Pais, Infobae, Voz de America 

The Maduro Government has ordered the closure of Venezuela’s office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), expelling its international staff. The government also argues that they had engaged in “colonial and abusive” behavior and had violated the UN Charter. Authorities further announced that they would reassess their cooperation with the OHCHR within 30 days. In the days prior to the decision, the OHCHR Venezuela office had expressed its concern over the detention of prominent activist Rocio San Miguel, whose whereabouts were unknown for several days. Local NGOs and other human rights defenders have condemned the decision to end cooperation with the UN human rights office. 

Sources: La Vanguardia, The New York Times

Venezuela’s Supreme Court (Tribunal Supremo de Justicia, TSJ) confirmed the ineligibility of Maria Corina Machado, who won a primary election held by opposition parties in October, to run for president. Machado had been declared ineligible to run for office for 15 years by the General Comptroller’s office, on the grounds that she had backed US sanctions against Venezuela and had supported the former opposition leader, Juan Guaido. She resorted to an appeal mechanism, established in the context of the Barbados Agreement on electoral guarantees. The latter resulted from the dialogue between government and opposition in the past months, regarding the conditions to ensure free and fair elections in Venezuela in 2024. In this sense, aspiring politicians with a prior determination of ineligibility were allowed to challenge their status. However, the TSJ dismissed the appeal of Machado, the opposition’s chosen candidate.  

Sources: Agencia EFE, Voz de America, International IDEA 

On 22 October, the Venezuelan opposition held a primary election, organized independently, without participation of the country’s electoral body, to choose its candidate. Over two million people participated, the vast majority voting for conservative politician, Maria Corina Machado, as the political opposition’s candidate. Machado, however, was banned from running for public office years ago, after an internal comptroller’s decision related to omissions in disclosure of personal assets, a measure seen as politically motivated. The results of the primaries were subsequently suspended by Venezuela’s Supreme Court after the attorney general’s office accused organizers of incurring in irregularities.

The opposition’s primaries took place days after a negotiation between the government and the opposition, after which the United States agreed to temporarily lift some sanctions, upon the Maduro government’s commitment to hold presidential elections during the second semester of 2024. The invalidation of the results and the continued ban on opposition candidates to run is a blow to the dialogue and efforts to ensure elections can take place next year, and will likely impact Venezuela-US discussions regarding sanctions.

Sources: El Pais (1), El Pais (2), The Guardian, British Broadcasting Corporation

After the country’s ruling party accused the Venezuelan Red Cross of conspiring against the Bolivarian revolution and mistreating its employees and volunteers, Venezuela’s Supreme Court (Tribunal Supremo de Justicia) ordered a restructuring of the organization. It named a businessman, close to Maduro’s government to lead the board that will administer the Red Cross’s assets and work on its ‘modernization’. It further announced the previous president and board members could be the subject of a prosecution. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has expressed its concern over the government’s intervention in its Venezuelan chapter and emphasized that its own mechanisms are able to address allegations of internal misconduct. 

Sources: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Reuters, El Pais