2024-08-01 08:20:40
He Department for Electoral Cooperation and Observation (DECO) issued a report OAS Secretariat for Strengthening Democracy regarding the presidential elections held last Sunday, July 28 in Venezuela.
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During last Sunday’s elections in Venezuela, the discontent of hundreds of Venezuelan citizens, as well as other countries that see the results where they named the winner as unreliable Nicolas Maduro, by
“The sum of various elements makes it impossible to grant democratic recognition to official figures: opacity of the CNE and its resistance to national and international observation”
Well, it is an issue that not only occurred on July 28, but months ago there were acts that put the electoral integrity. Since before the elections themselves, despite there being less than 70 thousand Venezuelan citizens eligible to vote, they were denied the right to vote but they always demonstrated their voice of conviction.
Inter-American System
the deployment of Electoral Observation Missions (EOM), He had always received the invitation to electoral observations, from 1962 until 2006 when the last time they received the invitation was, however he always remained attentive to what was happening in that country, due to the electoral weakening.
This report was made possible thanks to verifiable associations that are part of the OAS, but they have remained anonymous due to the intimidation that has arisen in this electoral process.
The report was therefore divided into three stages:
I. Pre-electoral Stage: Since March 5, when the presidential elections were announced, 10 candidates have registered, not one of them a woman.
In the midst of a climate of polarization and mistrust, remembering that in the 2018 elections, due to similar circumstances, the opposition stopped participating and countries stopped recognizing the victory, giving legitimacy to Maduro.
However, in 2024, citizen unity became visible, unlike 6 years ago. Disappearances, arrests and acts of intimidation were recorded in this election.
“The Criminal Forum recorded 135 arbitrary arrests for political reasons with forced disappearances in the context of the process19, a figure that soared with 48 more arbitrary arrests between 26 and 28 July, in addition to a murder. 102 of those arrested in the pre-election period were linked to opposition leader María Corina Machado20, including her security chief”
Peace, obstruction of witnesses and rejection of national and international observation. For these elections, the CNE accredited four civil society organizations as national observers: the Electoral Observation Network of the Education Assembly (ROAE)the He CNE no
accredited the Venezuelan Electoral Observatory (OEV), leaving the accreditation request unanswered.
On May 28th, CNE revoked the invitation to the observation mission of the European Union. The president of the CNE justified the decision by the economic sanctions of the 27-country bloc, stating that the representatives of the UE were not welcome as long as these sanctions were in place.
Attacks on the media, the right to expression and the right to information
According to the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, Expression of the IACHR, In 2024, severe restrictions on freedom of expression were documented in Venezuela, at least 29 cases and 98 complaints were filed.
Clientelism and use of the state apparatus for proselytizing purposes, lack of independence of the electoral body and other institutions linked to the process, where more than 7.7 million Venezuelan citizens have been forced to leave the country and only 107 thousand (for the 2003 elections) were registered.
The quality of information presented to the electorate on ballots, 13 of the 38 organizations supporting the candidates featured the face of Nicolás Maduro and Edmundo González in only 3.
Some of the political organizations that participated in the contest had names
similar and not very distinctive, which could generate confusion in the electorate due to the multiplicity of
contending forces.
II.Election Day
“As stipulated in the electoral regulations, on July 28 the tables began to open at 6 a.m. According to information released by the rector of the CNE, Aime Nogal Méndez, at 6:30 a.m. the polling stations began to open at 6 a.m.
77.95% of the polling stations nationwide were constituted and 59.40% were present
open58. Two hours later, at 8:30, the president of the CNE, Elvis Amoroso, announced in
press conference that 95% of the voting centers were operational and that the
All of the institution’s technical staff had been presented to the authorized schools and high schools
as voting centers”
Although from early hours, thousands of citizens were lining up to cast their vote, among some who had been in line since the night before, there were no issues of violence other than from a group Chavist who were seen hanging around polling stations, only one young man was reported shot dead.
The electoral data placed Maduro with 51.2% of the votes, while Edmundo Gonzalez with 44.2%.
At an event in Miraflores Square, Nicolás Maduro acknowledged that he was the president-elect and said that the intention was to “violate the peace of national life.” He asked for “respect for the Constitution, the powers and the sovereign life of Venezuela.” He also said that the CNE transmission system had been hacked “because the devils did not want the totals to be completed and the results to be given today. We know where they did it.”
Edmundo González, and the leader María Corina Machado, on the other hand, collected data from witnesses, where they were the ones who had emerged victorious, saying:
“Venezuelans and the entire world know what happened in today’s election. All the rules have been violated, to the point that most of the votes have not yet been delivered. Our message of reconciliation and peaceful change remains valid and we are convinced that the great majority of Venezuelans aspire to it as well.”
On July 29, the Carter Center asked the CNE “to immediately publish all the minutes of the polling stations installed during the election day held on July 28,” stating that “the information in the minutes transmitted to the CNE is essential for our evaluation and fundamental for the Venezuelan people.”
To date, the NGOs have not published a single report on the proceedings.
The OAS electoral specialists had access to four different data sources, which in
In general, they agreed on the results. The first two are exit polls prepared by recognized actors: in one, Edmundo González appears with 62.2% of the votes and Nicolás Maduro
31.1%; in the second, González obtains 64%, compared to 31% for Maduro.
III. Conclusion
This report contains an account of illegalities, vices and bad practices that occurred during this particular electoral process, but which are reiterated in recent electoral processes in Venezuela.
This shows that the CNE and its authorities are at the service of the National Executive Branch and not of the citizens, thus betraying the Venezuelan people.
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2024-08-01 08:20:40