Venezuelan opposition leader Machado responds to Lula da Silva after criticisms regarding her illegitimate disqualification: 'Is it because I am a woman? You validate an autocrat'

The leader of the Venezuelan opposition, María Corina Machado, responded to the indirect criticism made by the Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, after announcing the dates of a disputed presidential election in Venezuela.

Lula Da Silva, one of the presidents closest to Nicolás Maduro's dictatorship, recently celebrated the National Electoral Council's announcement (CNE) about the date of the presidential elections and suggested to Machado that instead of "crying" over her illegitimate political disqualification, she designate another candidate for the elections.

"I'm just telling you [Venezuelan opposition] (...) I was prevented from participating in the 2018 elections. Instead of crying, I chose another candidate and he contested the elections," said the Brazilian president.

Shortly after, Machado responded to the criticism by posting on social media: "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 free presidential elections in which I will defeat Maduro," the opposition leader expressed.

Machado also took the opportunity to criticize the Brazilian president's position. "You are validating the abuses of an autocrat who violates the Constitution," she added.

It should be remembered that Maduro's dictatorial regime politically disqualified María Corina Machado despite having won the opposition primaries with a resounding 92.5% of the votes.

The opposition leader has already asserted that Maduro's decision not only violates an agreement signed in Barbados where the Venezuelan regime committed to ensuring fair elections and the eventual resolution of political disqualifications.