Venezuela's Next President- Maria Corina Machado?

Maria Corina has announced that she will run against Hugo Chavez.

Caracas legislator Maria Corina Machado announced her candidacy for the primaries on Sunday, two days after the attorney general's office began investigating an allegation of corruption against the opposition front-runner, Miranda State Governor Henrique Capriles. "Populism must be combated but not with more populism," Machado told private TV network Globovision, predicting a win by the opposition next year. "A new era will be born."

in.reuters.com...

Chavez has dared her to run in the past and she is one of the leading opposition opponents.

He has often attacked Maria Corina directly, daring her to run for president against him in 2012. "That little bourgeois woman with a nice figure," Chavez called her in a recent speech, quoting a popular song. "Go ahead and get into the fray so you can know the fury of the people."

ecolatino.com...

Although many people may not know her, she is known in Washington. Was even invited to the Whitehouse by Bush. She was founder of the group Sumate. An opposition group that the US helped to fund. She is fighting charges in Venezuela over the funding.

Another important factor influencing these elections was the multimillion-dollar support the opposition campaign received from US agencies, such as USAID, National Endowment for Democracy (NED), International Republican Institute (IRI) and National Democratic Institute (NDI). These agencies, backing the opposition to Chavez for years, achieved a major result; their most loyal agents won top seats in parliament.

noliesradio.org...

Venezuela said that the funds broke Venezuela law and claims that the US was interfering by providing the funds. Marina Corina has denied the charges but admitted she took money to help monitor human rights. A wikileak cable showed the following

The latest Wikileaks releases include cables sent from the US Embassy in Caracas to the State Department, Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Council, and other US entities, indicating requests for additional US government funding for opposition groups in Venezuela. The cables corroborate documents previously obtained under the US Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) that evidence ongoing US funding to support anti-Chavez groups and political parties in Venezuela actively working to destabilize and overthrow the South American government.

venezuelanalysis.com...

The US has a history with Chavez and the most recent is trying to tie Chavez to international drug cartels. Venezuela and the US recently competed for the extradition of drugpin Walid Makled Garcia who was captured in Columbia. Walid said he had proof that Chavez was involved in drugs as well as other people in his administration. US lost the extradition and Walid was turned over to Venezuela.

blog.heritage.org...’s-latin-america-policy/

Will be interesting to see how much support Maria Corina gets from the US in her battle to defeat Chavez and what the US gets in return from Venezuela if she wins.

When oh when will the US stop interfering and trying to to put puppets everywhere.
Leave Venezuela alone.
Chavez is a good man trying to do the best he can.
Venezuela under the influence of the US will again be a Venezuela where people go hungry.

You should think that with all the problems the americans have in their own land, they have other things to do besides interfering in South America.

South America is doing a lot better than north America.

reply to post by notsosunny

You should think that with all the problems the americans have in their own land, they have other things to do besides interfering in South America.

I think the interference is to keep the Chinese from prospering in the area.

China threatens US clout in Latin America

The other part is that the US is not used to Latin America not doing what the US mandates. The US has no diplomats in Venezuela, Bolivia, and Ecuador. In Central America the US is keen on cracking down on the drug lords. But one has to wonder whether this is the case or just an opportunity for the US to dictate the terms in return for aid to combat the drug lords.

reply to post by notsosunny


good man? and what is your source?

maria corina machado is a posh woman from venezula, she wont win

Who is the favorite at the moment is Henrique Capriles

You ATS people really need top stop having opinions on subjects you have no idea about. read the newspapers please

reply to post by azulejo


hmm Henrique has capability to take on Chavez .My friend in Brazil believes that henrique will be a strong opponent.

reply to post by mkgandhas


Yes!

I wanted Leopoldo Lopez to go for it but he is too young, he is probably about 35. henrique is a bit older and with mcuh more experience. He has been re-elected many times for the municipality he is mayor from and it is one of the most important in Caracas and in Venezuela.

he talks very clam and attacks the problem from root. His municipality is also one that is very forward and they have tackle the gangs around there very hard.

I believe in him!! The elections for the primaries are tomorrow so we should keep our ears open.

reply to post by jam321


there is an Embasys of United States there

But I think what you say it is somewhat true but the Chinese have ebeen coming before Chavez and we have had business with them before Chavez as well. Now obviously it is a lot more, they signed some treaties not too long ago.

I dont know which ones exactly but obviously not a ver relevant one...