“It can’t just be on social networks,” Maria Corina asked for more reactions to the repression in Venezuela.

Presidential Candidate of Unitary Platform, Maria Corina Machado This Wednesday he asked the international community “Imposing more consequences for repression” by the Govt Nicolás Maduro.

During a discussion organized by a think tank based in Washington CSISIn which he joined via video call, Machado emphasized his condemnation of the activist’s detention. Rocio San Miguel, The arrests were made last Friday by forces of the Chavista regime.

“We need to impose more consequences on repression,” was standing outside. “It can’t just be through messages on social networks.”

A Venezuelan judge justified the activist’s arrest by alleging that “she appears to be mentioned verbatim” in the operational order of the so-called ‘White Bracelet’ plot, which the government says was intended to attack Maduro and other top officials. .

Machado, the presidential candidate of the main opposition coalition Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), also pointed out this Wednesday that the Venezuelan executive was taking such actions to sow “anarchy”.

“Govern to create chaos in the population and take away their power from the people at the crucial moment,” he stressed.

With 92.35% support in the primary election, Machado has been banned from running following a Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) decision.

The Democratic Unitary Platform has opposed the move, accusing the government of seeking to hold undemocratic elections and breaking the agreement on electoral guarantees it reached with the government last October.

Machado emphasized during his speech that he does not believe that the Venezuelan executive wants to “throw overboard” even the agreement signed in Barbados, as they are “trying hard to get legitimacy and resources.”

“The fact that they insist on blocking my candidacy has nothing to do only with me, (…) but with the fact that this regime has not yet considered the possibility of losing power,” he assured.

The United States, which eased strong sanctions imposed on Venezuela to force an election agreement, also signaled this Wednesday that it would wait until April to decide whether to economically block the South American country again.

The decision will depend on what Maduro does by then to fulfill his commitment to hold “free and fair elections” this year, White House national security adviser Jack Sullivan said at a press conference.

Joe Biden’s administration encouraged Maduro to take these steps along with suspending sanctions on oil and gas, but due to a lack of progress, in late January he reimposed sanctions on the gold sector and warned that sanctions would be imposed if the situation did not improve. Oil and gas licenses issued in Venezuela will expire on April 18.

With information from EFE