Lula confirmed that there is no “legal or political” explanation for the obstacles to the registration of opposition member Corina Yorris in Venezuela.

(CNN Spanish) — Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said this Thursday that there are obstacles to the registration of opposition candidate Corina Yorris, who could not run for the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD) in the presidential elections in Venezuela this week. Serious” and has no “legal or political” explanation.

In a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, who concluded his official visit to Brazil this Thursday, Lula said: “It is serious that the candidate could not be registered, that the justice did not decide against him.”

“There is no legal or political explanation. No rival was banned from being a candidate,” he said.

Lula’s statement came after Brazil’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Tuesday expressing concern about the difficulties reported by opponents for their registration in Venezuela. The PUD, which is the majority of opposition forces, said it could not enter the National Electoral Council (CNE) system to register Yoris. The deadline to register applications ended this Monday.

A statement said, “Based on available information, it is observed that the candidate indicated by the Unitary Platform, a political opposition force, and on which no judicial decision has been taken, was prevented from registering, which is not consistent with the Barbados agreements.” Issued by the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Corina Yorris (left), Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado’s (right) replacement for the upcoming elections, after a press conference in Caracas on March 22, 2024. (Photo by Federico Parra/AFP)

Yoris was the candidate chosen by the PUD to replace María Corina Machado, who had won the opposition primary but was disqualified from competing the previous January. The measure taken against Machado was for allegedly not including food bonus payments in his sworn declaration of assets. Machado says the disqualification is illegal.

In an interview with Fernando Rincón in “Conclusions” on CNN en Español this Monday, Yvoris commented: “I am not disqualified, I have no vices, I have not held public office, therefore, they did not disqualify me. Can.”

Until this Friday, the Venezuelan government had not responded directly to the Brazilian president’s situation. CNN is trying to contact the CNE as well as the Ministry of External Affairs to get their reaction to the statements.