María Corina Machado
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
María Corina Machado (b. 1968) is a founder of the Venezuelan volunteer civil organization Súmate, along with Alejandro Plaz.
In 2003, Súmate led a petition drive for a constitutional presidential recall of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. The Wall Street Journal says she faces conspiracy charge stemming from a $31,000 grant from the National Endowment for Democracy for "non-partisan educational work".[1] According to The Christian Science Monitor, she also faces treason charges for signing a decree dissolving the nation's democratic institutions during the 2002 coup attempt in Venezuela.[2] The charges carry a penalty of more than a decade in prison; the trial has been postponed several times. The criminal charges triggered condemnation from Human Rights Watch and democracy groups,[3] [4] the U.S. Embassy in Venezuela,[5] and a coalition of world leaders.[6]
U.S. President George W. Bush welcomed Machado to the Oval Office on May 31, 2005.[7] Venezuela's foreign minister called Machado's meeting with Bush "a provocation," while Venezuela's interior minister said that she is a puppet of the CIA.[2]
Venezuelan newspaper El Nacional printed a list including Machado's signature among 352 signatures on The Carmona Decree, but Machado says she wrote her name on what she believed to be a sign-in sheet while visiting the presidential palace.[8][2]
Machado was hailed by National Review as "the best of womankind and the difficult times many women face around the globe" on a list of Women the World Should Know for International Women's Day.[9] With degrees in engineering and finance, in 1992 Machado – the mother of 3 – started Fundación Atenea, a foundation using private donations to care for orphaned and delinquent Caracas street children. Because of her subsequent role in Súmate, Machado left the foundation so that it would not be politicized, but the Chávez government broke its arrangement with Fundación Atenea and took back the management of the shelter.[1]
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b O'Grady, Mary A. A Young Defender of Democracy Faces Chávez's Wrath. Wall Street Journal. June 10, 2005; Page A9.
- ^ a b c Ceaser, Mike (July 5, 2005). Anti-Chávez leader under fire. Christian Science Monitor.
- ^ Human Rights Watch.Venezuela: Court Orders Trial of Civil Society Leaders. Accessed 8 June 2006.
- ^ World Movement for Democracy. Democracy Activists in Venezuela Threatened. (July 16, 2004) Accessed 8 June 2006.
- ^ Embassy of the United States, Venezuela (July 8, 2005). "Súmate Trial Decision". Accessed 18 June 2006.
- ^ National Endowment for Democracy. International Coalition Expresses Concern for Democracy in Venezuela: Havel, Albright, McCain among signatories of letter to Chavez. 11 November 2004. Accessed on August 16, 2006.
- ^ The White House. (May 2005). Accessed 18 August 2006.
- ^ Lista de Firmantes del Decreto Carmona. El Nacional (Archivos). Accessed 24 July 2006.
- ^ Women the World Should Know. National Review Online (Mar 8 2006). Accessed 1 July 2006.
