February 25, 2005
Carter Center notes improvements and challenges in Venezuela

(Latinnews Daily) - "The Carter Center, a leading US human rights organization, reported that the political tension in Venezuela had eased since the recall referendum, but warned there remained much work to do to consolidate peace and democracy in the country.

Although the statement of Jennifer McCoy, the head of the Americas department of the Carter Center, was couched in fairly neutral terms, Chavistas will take more encouragement from her words that the opposition (...) Many opposition leaders refused to meet her, sceptical of her impartiality following the Carter Center's ratification of the recall referendum on President Hugo Chávez.

'The social tension has eased but there are still divisions and there is a lack of a basic consensus, so for this reason Venezuela must continue to work to strengthen democracy and preserve peace,' McCoy said, following a meeting with government officials, politicians, civil organizations and political commentators (...)".