European observers criticize elections in Venezuela, but see progress

by

Even though it considered the Venezuelan election last Sunday (21) the most balanced in years of the Chavez regime, the European Union registered, on Tuesday (23), criticism of the electoral system in the country of Nicolás Maduro. The European bloc highlighted the ban on certain opposition candidates and reported that there were cases of difficulty in voting by some voters.

According to the head of the observer mission, Portuguese MEP Isabel Santos, “there were arbitrary bans on candidates for administrative reasons”, as well as the suspension or exclusion of “leaders or members of some of the most recognized parties”.

Observers even witnessed the use of “checkpoints” designed to track which government supporters voted.

The Venezuelan regional elections had the return of independent international observers — in addition to Europeans, delegates from the UN and the Carter Center were sent —, in a easing of the regime adopted as part of negotiations with opponents in recent months.

Candidates against Maduro also opted to return to participate in an election, which has not happened since 2015 in the legislative election, recognized as the last legitimate in the country. After that, the opposition boycotted the vote for the Constituent Assembly and the re-election of Maduro, in a contested dispute.

The weekend’s consolidated results, however, showed that Chavismo maintained its hegemony, conquering at least 18 of the 23 states, in addition to the city hall of the capital Caracas. Among the reasons for the regime’s victory are the high abstention (58.2%) and the fragmentation of critical groups.

“Our mission was able to verify the lack of judicial independence and non-adherence to the rule of law,” Santos said Tuesday at a press conference in Caracas. “Some laws have affected the level playing field, balance and transparency of elections.”

Commenting on the delegation’s preliminary report, the MEP also highlighted advances in the National Electoral Council (CNE), which now includes two members not aligned with the regime. “The five rectors achieved improvements in the technical components, through an internal dialogue that efficiently conducted the preparations,” he said. “The electoral authority is the most politically balanced in the last 20 years.”

After confirming the results, several political opponents, including former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles, said that, if united, the group critical of the regime would have enough votes to win at least ten governments.

Days earlier, opponents had been questioning the constant coverage of the pro-Maduro candidates’ agenda on state television, as well as the sale of subsidized food before the vote.

Opposition leader Juan Guaidó, recognized as Venezuela’s interim president by dozens of countries, did not vote, but said after the result that the opposition should “rebuild itself”. More critically, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused Maduro of “distorting the process” to predetermine the outcome in favor of his party.

The Venezuelan dictator, in turn, celebrated the regime’s triumph. “Good victory and good harvest, fruit of persevering work”, he declared, surrounded by supporters of the PSUV (United Socialist Party of Venezuela) after the results were announced.

Isabel Santos also stated that the initial report points to alternative websites blocked in at least 16 of the 23 Venezuelan states and delays registered in polling stations. Despite the remarks made, she highlighted on Tuesday that the elections were held “in better conditions compared to previous electoral processes”, pointing to a period of 20 years.

She also called for the observers’ final document — which should be released in late January or early February — not to be used as a political instrument. This is the first time in 15 years that any Venezuelan election has had the participation of international delegates.

For Maduro, the observers “behaved to the degree”. The return of this mechanism, with the EU delegates, is, according to analysts, one of the dictator’s concessions to try to end the economic sanctions the country is facing, which include a US oil embargo.

.

You May Also Like

Recommended for you