Venezuela elections 2024: When are they taking place and who is running against Maduro?

An aerial view of Caracas, Venezuela — Ten presidential candidates will participate in the upcoming presidential elections, according to the official ballot released by the National Electoral Council (CNE) of Venezuela Unsplash.com/Jonathan Méndez

The 2024 presidential elections in Venezuela are scheduled for July 28th. On this Sunday, millions of people are expected to turn out to the ballots to elect their new leader, who will serve a six-year term.

President Nicolás Maduro, who took office in April 2013, is seeking a third consecutive term amid strong international criticism of irregularities in the exercise of democratic elections.

The United States, along with other countries in the Organization of American States (OAS), did not recognize the legitimacy of Venezuela's 2018 elections, which pitted Maduro against a minority opposition leader, Henri Falcón, with many of the main candidates in jail, in exile, or banned.

In the 2024 election cycle, María Corina Machado, who emerged as the leading opposition presidential candidate after winning a broad primary in 2023, won't be able to run.

Venezuela's judiciary has banned her from holding public office for 15 years for her conviction for "participating in the corruption scheme orchestrated by the usurper Juan Guaidó."

Venezuela's roster of ten candidates comprises entirely men. CNE Venezuela

In 2019, former deputies of Venezuela's National Assembly declared Guaidó "interim president" amid allegations of electoral fraud, which the opposition and much of the international community argued made Maduro's administration a "de facto" government. His role was partially recognized and concluded by the end of 2022.

The U.S. State Department's annual "Country Reports on Human Rights Practices," highlights that "Maduro's interference, electoral irregularities, unconstitutional appointments of electors, and harassment and manipulation of voters and candidates restricted the exercise of this right."

On March, the United Nations' International Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela (FFM) warned that in the doors of 2024's elections Maduro's government has entered "a reactivation of the most violent form of repression."

President Nicolás Maduro, who took office in April 2013, is seeking a third consecutive term AFP

The president of the UN mission, Marta Valiñas, said that there are "serious difficulties in ensuring that the upcoming presidential elections proceed in accordance with the right to participate in public affairs as outlined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights."

Venezuela elections 2024: Presidential Candidates

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado speaks during a press conference at her party headquarters — Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado is banned from running for elections.

Ten presidential candidates will participate in the upcoming presidential elections, according to the official ballot released by the National Electoral Council (CNE) of Venezuela.

The ballot shows the positions of political parties and their respective candidates on the voting machines. President Nicolás Maduro's picture leads the top row, appearing a total of thirteen times.

Edmundo González Urrutia stands out among the opposition candidates. He was announced as the candidate to confront Maduro by a large part of the opposition in a meeting held on April 19, alongside Corina Machado and the governor of Zulia, Manuel Rosales.

Venezuelan diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia — Edmundo González Urrutia stands out among the opposition candidates for 2024's elections in Venezuela. AFP

Two weeks after his surprise anointment, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia already had a commanding lead, holding 40-point lead over Maduro as election looms, a survey revealed.

In contrast to the presidential elections in other countries like Mexico, where two out of the three primary candidates are women, Venezuela's roster of ten candidates comprises entirely men.