Roberto Enríquez, from the opposition party COPEI, is the new executive secretary of the Unitary Platform following the resignation of Omar Barboza.
Guacamaya, March 17, 2025. Roberto Enríquez, recently appointed as the executive secretary of the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), stated that his administration will be characterized by dialogue and the pursuit of consensus. In remarks made on the program Vladimir a la Carta, he also acknowledged the legitimacy of María Corina Machado within the opposition leadership, although he admitted that there are currently no communication channels with her.
“What is serious is to demand conditions to repave the electoral path, demanding a negotiation not only about the truth of July 28 but also about the agreements of Barbados and Mexico. The proposal of the Platform is a negotiation among Venezuelans to reach an agreement that ends the suffering of Venezuelans,” he said.
Regarding the relationship with María Corina Machado, an opposition leader and key figure in the political landscape, Enríquez revealed that the Unitary Platform has not maintained recent communication with her but assured that contacts will be established soon. “María Corina enjoys a legitimacy and a mandate given to her by the country, and we must join efforts to be in communication with her,” he said.
The also representative and president of the traditional faction of Copei reiterated that the Unitary Platform will continue to be a space to process differences and build consensus and dismissed opposition sectors that, according to him, seek to weaken this instance. “To pretend that the Unitary Platform disappears because it suits me is not playing fair with Venezuela,” he stated.
Regarding the regional and parliamentary elections, the new executive secretary of the PUD insisted on the need to demand conditions from the government to ensure transparent and fair processes. “There is still time to fight for electoral conditions,” he concluded. He also called on the international community to support the negotiation efforts.
Finally, Enríquez also addressed issues of national interest, such as the situation of Venezuelan migrants. He categorically rejected the stigmatization of the diaspora as part of a “criminal train” and advocated for inclusive and respectful treatment for compatriots abroad. “We will exhaust all efforts to ensure due process for those who place themselves outside the law, who are the exceptions,” he noted.
