On 17 October 2023, the government and the opposition signed an agreement in Barbados, observed by Norway and Mexico, to hold presidential elections in 2024, following widespread international criticism of the 2018 electoral process.117 On 22 October 2023, the opposition held primary elections to select a candidate to challenge President Maduro, electing María Corina Machado, a former lawmaker, with 93 % of the vote.118 The opposition coalesced around the PUD.119 However, the Comptroller General disqualified Machado and barred her from holding public office for 15 years.120 For additional background information on the 2024 electoral agreement and the opposition primaries, see EUAA COI Report – Venezuela Country Focus November 2023. Presidential elections were scheduled for 28 July 2024.121
Sources reported multiple irregularities in the months leading up to the 28 July 2024 presidential elections,122 including the appointment of a new board of directors for the CNE in June 2024123 and the disqualification of opposition presidential candidates through bans on holding public office and obstacles to candidate registration.124 In January 2024, the TSJ upheld María Corina Machado’s disqualification, prompting condemnation from the opposition and several countries.125 The US stated that it would re‑impose sanctions on Venezuela, arguing that the ruling violated the terms of the Barbados agreement.126 María Corina Machado designated academic Corina Yoris as the opposition's candidate, but Yoris was prevented from registering her candidacy two days before the 25 March 2024 deadline, reportedly due to 'computer problems'.127 After the CNE granted an extension, the opposition succeeded in registering González Urrutia as its official candidate for the presidential elections.128
Shortly after midnight on 28 July 2024, the president of the CNE announced that Nicolás Maduro had won the presidential elections with 5.15 million votes (51.2 %), compared to González Urrutia's 4.44 million (44.2 %), following several hours of delay that the government attributed to a 'cyber-attack'.129 The opposition rejected the official results and, on 29 July 2024, released electoral tally sheets indicating that González Urrutia had won with approximately 70 % of the vote.130 Following the CNE announcement, mass protests erupted across the country, resulting in more than 2 000 detentions and 24 deaths.131 The opposition, the US, and several other countries demanded the publication of the official tally sheets.132 However, on 22 August 2024, the TSJ ruled that Maduro had won the election and declared the tally sheets published by the opposition to be '"faked"'.133 The original electoral acts were never released.134
On 1 August 2024, González Urrutia was recognised as the legitimate president by several governments and international bodies, including the US and the European Parliament.135 On 2 September 2024, a terrorism‑specialised tribunal issued an arrest warrant against González Urrutia on charges of '"conspiracy, usurpation of functions, forgery of public documents, incitement to disobey the laws, computer crimes, criminal association and conspiracy"'.136 On 8 September 2024, González Urrutia travelled to Spain, where he was granted asylum by the Spanish government.137 Following the elections, Corina Machado spent most of her time in hiding.138 In December 2025, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and arrived in Oslo only hours after the ceremony.139 In April 2026, Corina Machado remained outside Venezuela.140
- 117
International Crisis Group, Barbados Deal Sets Venezuela on a Rocky Path to Competitive Polls, 20 October 2023, url; BBC, En qué consiste el acuerdo entre gobierno y oposición de Venezuela (y qué cambia), 17 October 2023, url
- 118
Reuters, Machado dominates Venezuela presidential primary, but unclear if she can run, 24 October 2023, url; PBS, Former lawmaker Maria Corina Machado dominates opposition’s presidential primary in Venezuela, 23 October 2023, url
- 119
CNN, Corina Yoris no pudo inscribir su candidatura: "Están cercenando el derecho a millones de venezolanos; son horas muy oscuras", 25 March 2024, url; Al Jazeera, Venezuela opposition fails to register candidate for presidential election, 26 March 2024, url
- 120
Reuters, Machado dominates Venezuela presidential primary, but unclear if she can run, 24 October 2023, url; PBS, Former lawmaker Maria Corina Machado dominates opposition’s presidential primary in Venezuela, 23 October 2023, url
- 121
BBC, Cuáles son los resultados de las elecciones en Venezuela según las actas publicadas por la oposición, 6 August 2024, url; Friedrich Naumann Foundation, Venezuela un año después de las elecciones robadas: Resistencia y Esperanza, 28 July 2025, url
- 122
WOLA, Las próximas elecciones son una oportunidad importante para Venezuela, pero la falta de garantías aumenta las preocupaciones, 6 July 2023, url; SWI swissinfo.ch, El Partido Comunista de Venezuela anuncia decisión de no participar en comicios de julio, 11 June 2025, url
- 123
Reuters, Renuncia presidente del máximo organismo electoral de Venezuela antes de elecciones 2024, 15 June 2023, url
- 124
BBC, Edmundo González: The man taking on Maduro for Venezuela's presidency, 24 July 2024, url; Le Monde, Venezuela's opposition manages to register a presidential candidate, 26 March 2024, url
- 125
AP, EEUU anuncia revisión de sanciones a Venezuela tras descalificación de Corina Machado, 27 January 2024, url; Los Angeles Times, OEA: Descalificación de Machado ‘liquida posibilidad de elecciones libres’ en Venezuela, 28 January 2026, url
- 126
AP, EEUU anuncia revisión de sanciones a Venezuela tras descalificación de Corina Machado, 27 January 2024, url; Los Angeles Times, OEA: Descalificación de Machado ‘liquida posibilidad de elecciones libres’ en Venezuela, 28 January 2026, url
- 127
BBC, Edmundo González: The man taking on Maduro for Venezuela's presidency, 24 July 2024, url; Le Monde, Venezuela's opposition manages to register a presidential candidate, 26 March 2024, url
- 128
Le Monde, Venezuela's opposition manages to register a presidential candidate, 26 March 2024, url; BBC, Venezuela opposition overcomes hurdles to register candidate, 27 March 2024, url
- 129
WOLA, One year since the presidential election of July 28, 2024: the Venezuelan crisis, 14 August 2025, url; BBC, El Consejo Nacional Electoral anuncia el triunfo de Nicolás Maduro en las elecciones presidenciales de Venezuela y la oposición rechaza los resultados, 28 July 2024, url
- 130
Euronews, Al menos 24 muertos y más de 2.200 detenidos en las protestas contra los resultados en Venezuela, 7 August 2024, url; CNN, El CNE proclama a Nicolás Maduro como ganador de las elecciones en Venezuela, 29 July 2024, url
- 131
France 24, Venezuela termina 2024 en el más incierto futuro politico, 17 December 2024, url; Euronews, Al menos 24 muertos y más de 2.200 detenidos en las protestas contra los resultados en Venezuela, 7 August 2024, url
- 132
DW, OEA exige publicar las actas electorales de Venezuela, 17 August 2024, url; BBC, Venezuelan court upholds Maduro’s disputed victory, 22 August 2024, url
- 133
France 24, Nicolás Maduro vs. Edmundo González: cronología de una disputada posesión presidencial, 9 January 2025, url; BBC, Venezuelan court upholds Maduro’s disputed victory, 22 August 2024, url
- 134
France 24, Nicolás Maduro vs. Edmundo González: cronología de una disputada posesión presidencial, 9 January 2025, url; BBC, Venezuelan court upholds Maduro’s disputed victory, 22 August 2024, url
- 135
DW, EU Parliament recognizes Maduro rival as Venezuela president, 20 September 2024, url; France 24, Nicolás Maduro vs. Edmundo González: cronología de una disputada posesión presidencial, 9 January 2025, url
- 136
Perfil, La justicia de Venezuela ordenó la captura de González Urrutia, acusado de "conspiración" y "sabotaje", 2 September 2024, url; BBC, Un juez en Venezuela ordena detener al candidato opositor Edmundo González Urrutia, acusado por la fiscalía de varios delitos, 3 September 2024, url
- 137
RTVE, El líder opositor Edmundo González aterriza en Madrid procedente de Venezuela tras solicitar asilo politico, 8 September 2024, url; Agencia EFE, España concede el asilo a Edmundo González Urrutia, 20 December 2024, url
- 138
El País, De la clandestinidad al Nobel: el año oculto de María Corina Machado, 8 December 2025, url; CBC, Venezuela's Machado defies travel ban, arrives in Oslo to claim Nobel Peace Prize, 9 December 2025, url
- 139
El País, De la clandestinidad al Nobel: el año oculto de María Corina Machado, 8 December 2025, url; CBC, Venezuela's Machado defies travel ban, arrives in Oslo to claim Nobel Peace Prize, 9 December 2025, url
- 140
Reuters, Venezuela's Machado plans to return home by end of year, urges swift elections, 20 April 2026, url; Caracas Chronicles, En Madrid, María Corina proclamó el inicio del gran regreso, 20 April 2026, url