Venezuela’s socialist government faces a significant electoral challenge in the upcoming presidential election on July 28. President Nicolás Maduro, who has been in office for 11 years amid economic collapse and widespread emigration, is being challenged by former diplomat Edmundo González Urrutia and eight other candidates. Previously, Maduro has barred prominent rivals and portrayed them as elitists aligned with foreign powers. This time, he allowed the Unitary Platform opposition party to participate in a short-lived agreement that temporarily eased U.S. sanctions. Maria Corina Machado, a prominent opposition figure known for her stance against government corruption, was barred from running due to legal actions by Maduro’s government. Despite this, she has continued to campaign, supporting González, which has helped unify the opposition. González, a former ambassador with a background in international relations, promises economic reforms to reverse the emigration trend and has garnered emotional support from Venezuelans. Maduro still retains backing from his die-hard supporters, known as Chavistas, and those reliant on state employment or programs, though their influence has waned due to the country’s economic decline. He initially rose to power as the chosen successor of the late Hugo Chávez. Maduro was re-elected in 2018 amid a widely criticized election where opposition parties and politicians were banned, prompting a voter boycott. This authoritarian shift led the U.S. to impose economic sanctions, severely impacting Venezuela’s oil industry. While over 21 million Venezuelans are registered to vote, the exodus of 7.7 million people due to the crisis has reduced the voting pool to about 17 million. Voting abroad is limited due to stringent registration requirements and closed U.S. consulates. Hopes for a fairer election in 2023 diminished as the government continued to repress opposition, including detaining critics and controlling media and resources. Consequently, the Biden administration re-imposed sanctions. A U.N.-backed panel reported increased repression of opponents leading up to the election.Original text, by Regina García Cano, published in-> abcnews

Los jueces, que tomaron la decisión por unanimidad, rechazaron los seis motivos de apelación hechos por la administración Maduro. Dictaminaron que no encontraron «error alguno» en lo decidido por la Sala de Cuestiones Preliminares, al autorizar a la Fiscalía de la CPI continuar la investigación sobre presuntos crímenes de lesa humanidad. Tampoco encontraron «motivos convincentes» para apartarse de este fallo. También se dictaminó que Venezuela erró al no pedir al fiscal traducciones del material recibido. «Incumbe al Estado que solicita la inhibición proporcionar la traducciones en inglés y francés de los documentos donde se afirma que han ll.evado a cabo las investigaciones pertinentes, con miras a que la Sala de Apelaciones pueda revisar toda la documentación».Texto Completo-> TalCual 

“New times are coming,” he tweeted shortly after the victory of Mr Petro, a guerrilla-turned-senator, in June. The leftist Mr Petro has promised a thaw in his country’s frosty relations with Venezuela. To start, he says he will restore diplomatic relations, severed since 2019. Full Text -> TheEconomist

Traducción de cortesía -> “Vienen tiempos nuevos”, tuiteó poco después de la victoria de Petro, un guerrillero convertido en senador, en junio. El izquierdista Petro ha prometido un deshielo en las gélidas relaciones de su país con Venezuela. Para empezar, dice que restablecerá las relaciones diplomáticas, cortadas desde 2019

Human Rights Watch research has shown that Venezuela’s judiciary has failed to adequately investigate widespread abuses despite compelling evidence and that impunity for human rights abuses remains the norm. Since the late President Hugo Chávez and his supporters in the National Assembly carried out a political takeover of Venezuela’s Supreme Court in 2004, the judiciary has stopped functioning as an independent branch of government. Supreme Court justices have openly rejected the principle of separation of powers and have consistently upheld abusive policies and practices.. Full Text-> HumanRightsWatch

Jorge Rodríguez becomes the latest of several high-ranking officials in Maduro’s government to become infected in the pandemic, following the July announcement by Venezuela’s socialist party boss Diosdado Cabello, who says he is recovering. Full Text-> DailyIndependent

The U.S. Treasury Department in a statement said brothers Santiago Jose Moron Hernandez and Ricardo Jose Moron Hernandez, members of a family of “trusted partners” of Maduro and his son, help distribute assets for the Venezuelan president and his family. By Daphne Psaledakis. Full Text-> Reuters

Several Swiss companies and banks have found themselves in the line of fire as the United States ramps up pressure on the Venezuelan government. Washington has sanctioned numerous top officials for money laundering and drug trafficking in the oil-rich but economically flailing Latin American nation.  By Paula Dupraz-Dobias. Full text -> Swissinfo