December 1st., 2005

Electoral Abstinence

Summary:

• The fingerprint verification machines used by the CNE were designed to electronically identify the vote option of the voters.

• Audit made last week revealed that the voting machines are programmed to hinder the secrecy of the vote.

• Out in the open that in the Recall, the CNE added virtual votes that may have altered the real results.

• Reasons for the abstention.

• For Chavez, it is a destabilizing plan driven by the US Government.

• Spokesman for the Department of State denies it.

• American Congressmen were denied entrance to Venezuelan territory, as declared by Henry J. Hyde, who presided the Delegation.

• The Government denies it and the Department of State insist that the Delegation arrived in Venezuela and was not allowed to disembark.

• Spain affirms with Chavez its largest military equipment sale.

• Is Argentinean Foreign Policy towards the US changing?

• La Nación, from Buenos Aires, recommends prudence with respect to Chavez.

• According to BBC world analyst, he is the most influential mandatory in Latin America.

• High-tension environment.

• Call to pray in temples on the day of Elections.

• The Metropolitan Archbishop speaks up.

• Benedict XVI manifests its concern for the indisposition and worry that affects Venezuela.

Upon hours away for the December 4 elections, there are evident signs that the Venezuelan crisis is profound and with an endemic character.  The presence of the international observers obliged the electoral authorities to “temporarily” suspend the use of the fingerprint verification electoral machines upon proof that such machines were designed to electronically identify the vote option of the voters.  It is a sophisticated system that nullifies the secrecy of the vote, and hence, it may be used as an instrument of intimidation towards public administration officials and beneficiaries of a gigantic gift plan with public funds.  After the August recall, the famous “Tascón List” was available, which identifies who voted against Chavez.  Public officials who voted against him were laid off and in general, every person that appeared voting against for the recall was excluded from social programs and is unable to access any job in government services or linked thereto.

Upon the auspices of the international observers, independent technicians and of the opposition were able to participate, on November 23, in an audit of the totalization software and detected that the memories register an order or sequence in the issuance of votes.  This being a circumstance that hinders the secrecy of the vote, even if the fingerprint machines do not work.  The most evident trigger was the presentation, this past November 25, amongst political parties, civil organizations and observers, of a report drafted by 70 technicians from two of the best universities in the country, that during the course of one year, effected an exhaustive analysis of the electronic system of transmission of information between the voting tables and the central reception computer, evidencing the on August 15, 2004, the CNE added virtual votes in determined quantities in order to alter the real result of the revocation  recall.

Facing these facts, the opposition demanded the elimination of the fingerprint machines and the electronic notebooks, as well as the manual scrutiny of the paper ballots issued by the machines and its publication in the Electoral Registry.  The irregularities of the system were known.  The street vendors in Caracas sell a CD called Maisanta which specifies the voting option of each voter.  The CNE only agreed not to use the fingerprint machines in the 4D elections, which was considered insufficient by the opposition parties and therefore decided to withdraw their candidacies.  The opposition reminded that the Carter Center and the OAS, left constancy that the recall process had been affected by grave irregularities, specially the lack of transparency.  They coincided that there was distrust in the electoral system and in the recall results and that it was indispensable to restore the faith in the people towards the value of the vote, starting with the designation of a CNE in compliance with the Constitution.

The abstention was imposed by public opinion that more than 80% is not willing to vote.  The ONG Súmate was denouncing the unconstitutionality of the CNE, the violation of the Suffrage Law, an absolute control on the part of the government of the entire electoral pyramid and the lack of trust regarding the arbiter.  It is also notorious the unbalance between the regime and the opposition.  All the cities in the country were crushed by the government’s electoral campaign with a show of multimillionaire resources.  The four government’s TV broadcasters and more than two hundred radio stations broadcast at all hours their candidates, not withstanding the law that forbids intervening in electoral campaigns.  One of the opposition leaders affirms that even without the electronic fraud, the regime has more power than votes.  Their real votes are the product of power and not of free decision from the citizenship.

For Chavez, the call for abstention “has put on its way a destabilizing plan driven by the government of the United States”. 

For the Chancellor Rodriguez Araque, “the withdrawal of the candidacies seeks to prepare the scenario for an intervention that the North American authorities have amongst their options”.  The National Assembly approved to denounce the interference of the United States in internal issues.  The spokesman for the Department of State declared that his country plays no role in the abstention decision of the opposition forces.

THE WEIGHT OF OIL

Another episode in the rhetoric ping pong featured by Caracas and Washington?  On November 28, a US Air Force plane remained in the landing track of Maiquetía for two hours, without any of its four passengers descended from the plane.  According to Congressman Henry J. Hyde, himself and four colleagues part of a delegation comprised of Republicans and Democrats, who, previous agreement with Venezuelan officials, had the purpose of contributing to the reduction of tension between the United States and Venezuela.  Hyde affirms that they were denied entrance, and hence decided to go back, since their diplomats in Caracas failed to solve the problem.  The Ministry of Exterior and the airport’s authorities denied the affirmations made by Hyde.  The decision to go away, according to the Ministry, was taken by the Parliamentarians and the Business Delegate of the US Embassy.  According to McCormack, spokesman for the Department of State, the delegation arrived in Venezuela and they were not permitted to disembark.

McCormack also declared about the disagreement of its government with Spain for the sale of military equipment to Chavez.  The Spanish Ministry of Defense replied from Caracas, who was present at the signing of the contract.  According to Bono “it is not the time for Empires”.  He added that the negotiation implies great benefits for Spain.  It is their mayor military equipment sale.  If signifies “a quantity superior to the annual budget of the Spanish Agricultural and Health Ministries.  Notwithstanding that it will generate jobs for many Spaniards for nine years”.  José Bono, with unusual honesty, gave an eloquent explanation about the friendly relations of the Europeans with Chavez oil dollars.  “We are not willing to give away to Italy, France, Germany or any other country the business opportunities we find here”.

It is also the perspective of Latin American countries.  The last visit from Kirchner to Chavez allowed him to ensure a large volume of oil dollars in exchange of bonuses from the Argentinean debt, not including a series of advantageous energy and commercial agreements that, according to an analyst of La Nación from Buenos Aires, the “Pink House” foreign policy with the United States may be changing.  Minister Julio de Vido, who accompanied Kirchner, declared that he was not concerned about opinions from the US regarding agreements signed between Venezuela and his country.  Argentina, he stated, has agreements with whomever it is convenient and is open to the possibility that Venezuela buys more bonuses of the Argentinean debt.  For La Nación, the relationship with Venezuela should be handled in a more prudent way, since on the other side there is a president with an authoritarian profile, questioned in international forums for violations against the freedom of expression, for persecuting opposers and who in many occasions has given samples of not guaranteeing legal security.

The United States is concerned that the Lieutenant Colonel makes use of the oil money to attract more influence and seek allies in the region to counteract the advance of the Bolivarian revolution, but few show interest in making enemies with a President with which one may have lucrative businesses.  Chavez, according to James Painter, a BBC world analyst, is the mandatory with most influence in Latin America.  The prophet of 21 Century Socialism, we add, has a powerful exportation weapon: a sophisticated electronic voting system, as oil, made available to our Latin American brothers.

SUNDAY CRISIS?

The majority will not vote, but a high-tension environment is in the air.  Súmate called upon all the followers of all religions to be present on Sunday, in Churches and Temples, to pray.  The Government threatened Archbishop of Caracas to impede that the Temples be used for political destabilizing actions.  Monsignor Urosa responded in impeccable terms: Our Temples are always open for all who wish to encounter with God and its brothers, in an environment of prayer and of living with one another.  They are not spaces for political activities.  We invite to the Sunday Mass on December 4, without any political connotation and avoiding any violence, to pray for the unity and peace in Venezuela. 

In the new variable something was produced which has impacted all.  Benedict XVI received a delegation of the high Catholic hierarchy, headed by the president of the Episcopal Conference, and manifested its concern for the indisposition and worry that affects the Venezuelan people, sending a special greeting to Cardinal Rosalio Castillo Lara.  Regarding the issue that now divides the country, the Archbishop of Caracas formulated a wise recommendation:  “participate in the elections and voting or not voting depends on the information, conscience and personal decision of each citizen”.