MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

María Corina Machado hits back at Lula da Silva's criticism: “Me crying, President Lula?”

“Me crying, President Lula? Are you saying that because I'm a woman? You don't know me. I am fighting to assert the right of millions of Venezuelans who voted for me,” said Machado.

María Corina Machado, the opposition candidate elected in Venezuela's October primary elections, has responded strongly to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's recent comments indirectly criticizing her candidacy.

Lula's remarks, seemingly aimed at Machado's political disqualification, prompted a swift response from the opposition leader. Machado took to social media, questioning Lula's assumptions and defending her determination to represent millions of Venezuelans who seek democratic change. She stated, “Me crying, President Lula? Are you saying that because I'm a woman? You don't know me. I am fighting to assert the right of millions of Venezuelans who voted for me in the Primaries and the millions who have the right to do so in a free presidential election in which I will defeat Maduro.”

Yo llorando, Presidente @LulaOficial? ¿Lo dice porque soy mujer? Usted no me conoce. Estoy luchando para hacer valer el derecho de millones de venezolanos que votaron por mí en las Primarias y los millones que tienen el derecho de hacerlo en unas elecciones presidenciales libres… https://t.co/EoNpSeY3pz

— María Corina Machado (@MariaCorinaYA) March 6, 2024

During a press conference, Lula said that when he was disqualified in 2018 elections in Brazil, instead of staying “crying,” he nominated another candidate for that year's elections, in reference to Fernando Hadad, who lost the election to Jair Bolsonaro.

Machado further accused Lula of “validating the outrages of an autocrat,” referring to Nicolás Maduro's regime, and highlighted her readiness to confront him in a fair election. Machado asserted, “The only truth is that Maduro is afraid to face me because he knows that the Venezuelan people are today in the streets with me,” she said, as EFE reported.

Lula's comments came amid Venezuela's announcement of presidential elections scheduled for July 28. While Lula expressed satisfaction with the election dates and assurance of observer presence, he cautioned the opposition to Maduro against disruptive behavior, drawing parallels to Brazil's own political turbulence during Jair Bolsonaro's presidency.

Meanwhile, former leaders from the Democratic Initiative of Spain and the Americas (IDEA) denounced the Venezuelan elections, stating they cannot be deemed “free and respectful of the right to vote” without Machado's participation. The group emphasized Machado's constitutional eligibility and her endorsement through primary elections, condemning Maduro's regime for orchestrating a facade of democracy while stifling genuine opposition voices.