The Chinese government reiterated its support for Venezuela’s “sovereignty and independence” this Friday

(CNN Spanish) — The Chinese government reiterated its support for Venezuela’s “sovereignty and independence” this Friday in the context of presidential elections scheduled for July 28. X According to a publication on Twitter earlier, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that Beijing opposes “foreign interference” in Venezuela’s internal affairs. Global TimesEnglish version of the official Chinese newspaper People’s Daily,

“China respects Venezuela’s sovereignty and independence, supports Venezuela’s progress in the electoral system in accordance with its Constitution and its laws, and opposes foreign interference in Venezuela’s internal affairs,” the publication said. The publication said that Lin Jian responded to this. Towards a statement from the US State Department where Washington expressed its concern about the difficulties faced by opposition candidates registering in the electoral process.

Thirteen people have registered to run in Venezuela’s presidential election on July 28, including President Nicolas Maduro, who is seeking a third term, National Electoral Council (CNE) President Elvis Amoroso said on Tuesday. Gave.

At a press conference, Amoroso gave an overview of the candidacy registration period between March 21 and 25. He said that at the end of the deadline, 13 registrations were submitted by 37 political organisations.

María Corina Machado, who had won the October primary elections with more than 90% of the vote, was disqualified from being a candidate, and Corina Yoenis, whom Machado presented as a substitute candidate. , could not register.

Maduro has ruled Venezuela since April 2013. He assumed the presidency following the death of Hugo Chávez, whose eleventh death anniversary was celebrated on 5 March. Furthermore, according to the program presented by the CNE, the date of the next election coincides with the birth of the late president.

Holding presidential elections in the second half of 2024 is part of the Barbados agreement that the Maduro government and the opposition signed last October, but breaks a tradition since 2012 that established that the country held presidential elections on Sundays. . December.

In fact, the last presidential election that Hugo Chávez won was in October 2012, while in 2018 Maduro won the elections held in May of the same year.