World
Former Venezuelan Judge Says She Signed Machado Ban Under Duress
Barbara Cesar Sierra told AFP she approved Maria Corina Machado's candidacy ban after her family members were detained to force compliance.
Barbara Cesar Sierra, a former Venezuelan judge, stated to the French news agency AFP that she ratified the decision barring opposition leader Maria Corina Machado from running in elections under threat. Sierra served as a justice on the Supreme Court between December 2014 and February 2024.
Family Detention Used as Leverage
Sierra reported that two of her brothers and one brother’s wife, all military personnel, were arrested in December 2023. This detention was intended to compel her signature on the prohibition order against Machado.
Following the arrest of her family members, Sierra said she was presented with nine orders requiring her approval. The ban preventing Machado from competing was among these documents.
"I told myself: perhaps if I sign, they will return them... but I signed, and yet they kept them in custody," Sierra recounted regarding the outcome of her compliance.
Machado Blocked From Presidential Race
Maria Corina Machado had won the opposition primary elections in 2023. Her victory positioned her to challenge then-President Nicolas Maduro in the general election held the following year.
The official ban prevented Machado from registering as a candidate for the presidential contest, despite her success in the internal opposition vote.
Latest news
Spain Protests Erupt After 87-Year-Old Evicted Woman Dies
IMF Awaits $250M Ukraine Repayment This Week
Rubio Refuses to Comment on Allegations Against US Ambassador to Greece
