February 18, 2006
Preparations for presidential election continue

(El Universal) - "Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Electoral Council (CNE,) claimed that some opposition parties such as Acción Democrática are trying to condition their participation in next December 3rd presidential election in an 'attempt to dismantle the automation of the Venezuelan balloting system' and make vote minutes prevail over actual ballots.

* Rodríguez' remarks came during an interview with official TV channel Venezolana de Televisión, official news agency ABN reported.

* He added that next February 20th, CNE is to delve into claims of early electoral campaigning. 'No matter who is breaking the law, we are to take firm actions.'

* Rodríguez also quoted a survey conducted in January showing that most Venezuelans (67 percent) trust and respect the current automated balloting system.

* About 66 percent of Venezuelans plan to vote President Hugo Chávez next December 3rd, according to a survey conducted by North American Opinion Research Inc. and disclosed on February 16th, Efe reported.

* The poll, with a margin of error of 2.2 percent, was conducted nationwide from January 28th to February 5th, 2006. A total of 2,617 door-to-door interviews with all social sectors were made.

* The opposition candidate who ranked best was Primero Justicia's Julio Andrés Borges, with 4 percent of the intention to vote.

* Intention to vote all opposition candidates in the aggregate reached 13 percent. Around 21 percent does not know, is not ready to vote, or does not like any candidate.

* The company based in Pennsylvania , United States , and operating in Venezuela since 1997, disclosed the results and features of the enquiry during a meeting in Caracas with foreign reporters.

* As for abstention, 60 percent of interviewed claimed to be prepared to vote; 15 percent was 'quite decided;' 8 percent was 'somewhat decided,' and 3 percent, 'slightly decided.'

* The remaining 14 percent accounts for those who are still undecided, are not ready to vote, or did not answer.

* Curiously, the survey found that most Venezuelans link the future of the 'Bolivarian revolution' to President Chávez' leadership.

* A meeting will be held next February 20th with the Catholic Church, the Evangelist Church , the Moral Power and the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) to exchange views in order to encourage Venezuelans' participation in the election of the new board of the National Electoral Council (CNE,) the chair of the Preliminary Nominations Committee reported.

* 'Participation in elections is the only peaceful, democratic and legal way. Any choice different from the electoral way will have fatal results,' officialist member of Parliament Roberto Hernández commented.

* He clarified that the opposition should foster involvement in the Nominations Committee, but political non-militancy and impartiality of the board of the Electoral Power should be ensured.

* The Venezuelan Bishops' Conference (CEV) is pondering a proposal to take part in a taskforce that is to designate the new members of the National Electoral Council (CNE.)

* Monsignor Ubaldo Santana, president of CEV, explained that in the next few days they are to launch consultations with the Venezuelan clergy on this issue. They intend to 'determine the real mechanism for participation' of the Catholic Church in the process of selection of the new electoral authorities.

* 'We are going to make consultations this week. We are going to choose some likely candidates and see who could be the chosen one, in the event that we adopt this mode of participation,' Santana clarified.

* Oscar Battaglini, director of the National Electoral Council (CNE,) dismissed any possibility to suspend automated balloting and adopt the old manual voting system during next December 3rd presidential election.

* He claimed they would not let the popular will to be 'distorted.'

* 'We are not going back to manual vote. We have moved forward so much in the field of electoral automation. We are not abandoning the process we have been developing. This is very important for modernization of the Venezuelan balloting system. Automated balloting foster greater confidence in the election.'

* Battaglini, who is the head of the Civil and Electoral Register of CNE, added that the top electoral body would not accept demands from the opposition to deliver the list of duly registered voters with their corresponding addresses.

* Battaglini said he did not understand why 'some political players want us to go back to archaic procedures that damaged the country so much in the past. The Venezuelan electoral history is full of abnormalities and even offenses.'

* Government officials met on February 15th with the board of directors of the Venezuelan Bishops' Conference (CEV) and asked them to encourage participation of social organizations in the process intended to designate the new authorities of the National Electoral Council (CNE.)

* 'We have suggested the (Catholic) bishops it is pertinent for the Venezuelan Bishops' Conference to become a driving factor that encourages social organizations to take part in this process,' of selection of a new board of directors of CNE, said ruling party MVR leader and parliamentarian William Lara after the meeting.

* He added that pro-government leaders attending the meeting were very happy at the bishops' commitment to address their petition at a CEV meeting they would hold later on February 15th.

* He ensured that their petition is intended to help the National Assembly 'choose a National Electoral Council meeting the expectations of the country, but always under the Constitution.'

* Pro-government leaders are also meeting with representatives from other religions, entrepreneurs, trade union, civil organizations, etc.

* Their meeting with the leaders of the Catholic Church was also an opportunity to discuss 'the effective integration of the Church' into government plans to fight poverty.

* Opposition Acción Democrática party is to seek a partial amendment of the organic law on vote and political participation with a view to eliminate automated elections and return to manual vote for presidential elections.

* AD secretary general Henry Ramos Allup, together with the party president, Jesús Méndez Quijada and other leaders, presented a draft amendment to 12 out of 291 articles comprising the mentioned law. They also proposed eliminating article 157 on automated ballots.

* One of their key proposals suggests using 'manual, public and binding count of votes in 100 percent of balloting stations.' They also recommended preventing military troops from interfering with the electoral process.

* Representatives of opposition Comando por la Resistencia party headed by Oscar Pérez filed on February 14th with the Comptroller General Office a complaint regarding the use of public funds by President Hugo Chávez, mayors and governors for the presidential election next December.

* Grounds for the complaint include the use of the media by the government. He noted that President Chávez usually appears on TV channels calling for activities that 'initially are of public nature and for development of some programs headed by him as president.'

* President Hugo Chávez' MVR party rejected the fact the opposition is trying to impose conditions for their participation in the upcoming December 3rd presidential election.

* MVR reasoned that such demands run counter both the Constitution and the law governing vote and political participation.

* 'Wanting to impose conditions that violate the Constitution is a mistake. They intend to hinder their participation in an appropriate way in the electoral campaign,' said MVR leader William Lara.

* He denied the possibility that automated balloting machines are discontinued during December presidential election in order to go back to manual balloting, as the opposition has suggested.

* He added that selection of the new board of directors of the National Electoral Council (CNE) would take place amid an open and plural debate including the civil society.

* Opposition Primero Justicia party is still proposing a preliminary process to elect a single opposition candidate, in addition to demand of conditions for reliable polls.

* Gerardo Blyde, the party leader, considers that the request for comprehensive audit, opening of all voting boxes and a new board of the National Electoral Council (CNE) 'is not an obstacle or hindrance to unified opposition in a single candidate.'

* He does not think that fighting for transparent elections should be the only demand.

* 'Our position, as a political party, has been looking for opposition primary elections and we keep it. Elections should be held for all those willing to run for president.'

* Antonio Ledezma, the leader of Alianza Bravo Pueblo (ABP), wants manual polls and no finger-reading machines for presidential elections next December.

* 'What is the reason to continue installing machines when we simply are dealing with a simple election for president that can be made with a ballot?' he inferred on February 13th.

* Machines 'make things complicated. Everybody knows that a high percentage of people does not trust these machines because they have been victim of related fraud.'

* Ledezma denounced 'improper use of state monies.' However, 'nobody should make any deal on behalf of the opposition. Beware of those who take advantage, speaking and negotiating in the name of the opposition with CNE (National Electoral Council) people, because we will make them get down the horse in the middle of the river.'

* Leopoldo Puchi, the secretary general of MAS party, on February 13th insisted on the need to abide by the Constitution and the laws for presidential elections next December 3rd.

* He indicated that the opposition is requesting an electoral register comprising the addresses of voters for purposes of audit. President Hugo Chávez' foes are also demanding audits to be conducted for all the process necessary for the election.

* 'There should be a possibility for all the parties running in the election to have witnesses, surveillance and monitoring (of the process,)' Puchi asserted.

* The designation of a brand new board of directors of the National Electoral Council (CNE) or the ratification of some or all of its current members is top priority for the Venezuelan parliament these days.

* Most importantly, the National Assembly has to decide whether to ratify or remove the president of CNE, Jorge Rodríguez. This man is the cornerstone of CNE and the stumbling block for the participation of the opposition in next December 3rd presidential election.

* The all pro-government political parties comprising the National Assembly, specially MVR, Podemos, PPT and PCV, have diverging views in connection with three scenarios that have emerged for the appointment of the electoral authorities. These three scenarios are: first, removal of all the current members of the board of directors; second, ratification of some current directors and removal of other current members; and third, ratification of all of the current members. The third scenario is the less likely.

* Most ruling party MVR deputies think that Rodríguez matches the perfect profile of a senior electoral official. But some others believe that they need to remove him from office, in an honorable way, if they are to see the opposition taking part in December presidential election. The opposition has conditioned participation to the removal of Rodríguez from CNE.

* The most radical MVR lawmakers rather support Rodríguez' ratification, while others think the president of CNE has already played his role. However, they have no candidates to fill Rodríguez' position the way he does it.

* In any event, discussions in MVR are set to become harder and harder, even though President Hugo Chávez will have the last word, as usual.

* Caracas Archbishop Monsignor Jorge Urosa Savino on February 12th said the Venezuelan Bishops' Conference (CEV) is to weight the possibility to take part in a committee that is to appoint the new members of the board of directors of the National Electoral Council (CNE).

* Following a recent meeting with President Hugo Chávez, the Catholic Church has become a major mediator in the Venezuelan political arena. Government spokespersons claim that, given the fall of the opposition political groups, the Catholic Church is the only voice people trust(...)".