Venezuela: Machado claims victory in presidential primary vote
The opposition leader and free market advocate says she has a ‘mandate’ to take on Maduro.

The opposition leader and free market advocate says she has a ‘mandate’ to take on Maduro.





![Freddy Guevara was detained on July 12, 2021 and transferred to the headquarters of the intelligence services, according to the Venezuelan opposition [File: Federico Parra/ AFP]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/000_9EU8ZX.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
![Food assistance bags containing basic food staples, such as pasta, sugar, flour, and kitchen oil, provided through the CLAP government food assistance programme in the Santa Rosalia neighbourhood of Caracas, Venezuela. [Matias Delacroix/AP Photo]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/AP_21113714164410.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
![The International Monetary Fund's decision is the latest setback for President Nicolas Maduro’s regime, which has been largely cut off from a global financial network due to Untied States sanctions [File: Carlos Becerra/Bloomberg]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/ven.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
![The Citgo financing was never executed, and a Caracas court in late 2020 sentenced the six executives to between eight and 13 years in prison on graft charges [File: Jonathan Bachman/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/citgo.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
Biden administration move would shield Venezuelans already in the US from deportation and allow them to work legally.
Maduro’s government got about $1.21bn from the trade despite crippling US sanctions, an opposition figure alleges.
US secretary of state spoke to Venezuela’s opposition leader, stressing the importance of a return to democracy.
Venezuela must pay $100m to access vaccines via the COVAX program but cannot pay due to sanctions, officials have said.
The shift in legislative power away from the opposition marks a consolidation of power for President Nicolas Maduro.

Why does Venezuela have two competing presidents? And will parliamentary elections only make things worse?
US has led international pressure to force Venezuela’s leader from power, backing rival Guaido and imposing sanctions.
Spanish foreign ministry confirms Lopez’s arrival after spending a year at Spanish ambassador’s residence in Venezuela.
Venezuelan officials say the American plotted attacks against the nation’s oil industry and electricity system.
The suspect, alleged to have CIA ties, had help from three Venezuelan conspirators who were arrested last week.