With literally one minute until the deadline, the opposition coalition in Venezuela managed to register a candidate for the presidential election on July 28. In January, the Supreme Court confirmed that Maria Corina Machado, the headlining candidate of the electoral alliance PUD (Plataforma Unitaria Democratica, or Democratic Unitary Platform), would be barred from running.

Then on Monday, the alliance was unable to register Machado's designated replacement, Corina Yoris, "due to technical reasons."

On Tuesday, after the deadline was extended, the PUD was finally able to register the former diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as its candidate to campaign against incumbent President Nicolas Maduro. Venezuela's highest electoral office, the CNE, also confirmed two other opposition candidates.

According to the PUD, Gonzalez's hasty registration should be recognized as a provisional candidacy, as the group still aims to get Machado on the ballot. This is legally possible until 10 days before the election, they say.

This was also the plan when the PUD sought to nominate Corina Yoris as a replacement. The 80-year-old retired philosophy professor is regarded as eloquent but totally inexperienced politically.

At least Gonzalez, the second replacement candidate, is a member of the leadership committee of MUD (Mesa de la Unidad Democratica, or Democratic Unity Roundtable), which is tied to the PUD.........

© Deutsche Welle