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María Corina Machado, leader of the Venezuelan opposition and right-hand woman of the president-elect from the elections held on July 28, 2024, Edmundo González Urrutia, presented the official declaration of the newly elected government on January 19.
Under the title "Seven Principles for Freedom", the document establishes the fundamental guidelines to materialize the sovereign mandate issued by Venezuelans at the polls and to guide the democratic transition in the country.
With a strong message, Machado reaffirmed his commitment to the electoral outcomes of 2024 and rejected any maneuver by the regime of Nicolás Maduro to disregard the will of the people.
"Venezuela has already made its decision. The mandate of July 28 WILL BE RESPECTED. Either you stand with the people or you stand with Maduro. Nobody here is putting up with it anymore," expressed the opposition leader in a tweet that quickly went viral.
The document emphasized as a central focus the respect for the sovereign mandate of July 28, describing it as a turning point in the country's struggle to regain democracy. According to Machado, "history and the Venezuelans will be relentless" with those who seek to obstruct this process.
The seven principles for freedom
Sovereign mandate: The people of Venezuela clearly expressed themselves at the polls, and this mandate must take effect immediately, without delays.
2. Citizen Responsibility: A call is made to all Venezuelans, both civilians and military, to take on their responsibility in defending the popular decision.
3. Fair and constitutional struggle: All means permitted by the Constitution will be employed to restore democratic order.
4. National unity: Machado emphasized that the elections on July 28 united Venezuelans around a common goal: freedom.
5. Elections to choose: Strong rejection of new electoral processes before respecting the results of 28-J.
6. Negotiation for Change: All negotiations must be directed exclusively toward democratic transition, with legitimate representatives of the people.
7. Democratic governance: The document emphasizes that freedom and democracy are the only acceptable forms of government for the country.
This statement represents a roadmap to mobilize citizens and ensure compliance with the popular mandate, which has been crudely and repeatedly trampled by the Maduro regime, that did not present the election records but declared itself the winner and unleashed a wave of repression in the country.
Machado and his team emphasized that this process will not stop until all sectors of the country, including public officials and the armed forces, join the movement for change.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to use all constitutional tools to ensure that democratic change becomes a reality in the country.
Background and Tensions: The Path to the 'Seven Principles for Freedom'
In recent months, Venezuela has experienced an intensification of the political confrontation between Maduro's regime and the opposition led by González and Machado.
Following the elections on July 28, 2024, in which the opposition declared González the winner, Maduro's regime has been accused of electoral fraud and systematic repression against opposition leaders and protesters.
At the beginning of January, Machado was violently detained by forces aligned with the regime while participating in a demonstration in Caracas.
During the incident, gunfire attacks were reported, and the opposition leader was forcibly detained, although she was later released. This act of repression sparked international condemnation and heightened political tension in the country.
Meanwhile, Edmundo González has sought to consolidate international support for his cause, after being forced into exile by the Chavista regime.
After his victory, González began a tour of Latin America with the aim of gaining regional support ahead of his planned inauguration on January 10. During this tour, he met with various political and social leaders to strengthen alliances and seek solutions to the Venezuelan crisis.
In this context, the declaration of the "Seven Principles for Freedom" aims to unite the opposition and mobilize citizens in defense of the sovereign mandate of July 28.
These principles emphasize citizen co-responsibility, the just struggle for constitutional means, and the necessity of national unity to achieve a democratic transition in Venezuela.
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