March 28 (UPI) — The U.S. State Department said it is “deeply concerned” by the Venezuelan government’s pattern of blocking opposition parties from registering candidates in the upcoming presidential election, according to a statement Wednesday.
The State Department on Wednesday called on President Nicholas Maduro’s government to “ensure international observer access, end the jailing and harassment of civil society and opposition members, allow all candidates to run and campaign, update the electoral registry and release all unjustly detained political prisoners.”
“We remain united with the international community in calling upon Maduro to allow Venezuelans to participate in free and fair elections,” the statement read. “As we have made clear, actions that run counter to the spirit and letter of the Barbados Agreement will have consequences.”
Maduro and opposition party leaders signed the Barbados Agreement in October to guarantee democratic elections in the country.
The opposition Unitary Platform said Wednesday it was able to register a placeholder candidate for July’s presidential election after its first two nominees were blocked.
The party successfully inscribed ex-diplomate Edmundo González as a “provisional” candidate, hinting it may replace him before the election to unseat Maduro.
The Unitary Platform originally backed María Corina Machado, who won an opposition primary in October with 93% of the vote. The Venezuelan Supreme Court, however, is upholding a ban on her from running for public office.
The party then tapped Corina Yoris, an 80-year-old academic and political newcomer, as its candidate, but said it could not log into the electoral council website to register her candidacy.
There are currently 13 presidential candidates registered for this year’s election, but some of them are aligned to the Maduro regime and not considered to be serious challenges.
Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, told his supporters last month, “We’re going to win by hook or by crook, we’re going to win, always.”
The State Department in January said it will not renew Venezuela’s license that provides relief to the country’s oil and gas sector, due to Maduro’s failure to uphold his end of the Barbados Agreement.
The United States also said it would reimpose sanctions on the country’s gold mining company Minerven.