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OCCASIONAL REPORT ON VENEZUELA’S POLITICAL ELECTORAL CONTEXT

ENROUTETOTHE2015PARLIAMENTARYELECTIONSTHEMUDHOLDSITSPRIMARIES

Executive Summary

Twodevelopmentsintherealmoflawhadmajorrepercussionsduring

theperiodcoveredinthisreport.First,afterapostponementoftheproceedings

involvingpoliticalleaderLeopoldoLopezandMetropolitanMayorAntonioLedezmawasannounced,formerSpanishPrimeMinisterFelipeGonzález,who

wasplanningtocometoVenezuelatooffer“technicalsupport”tothelegal

defenseteamrepresentingtheseleaders,suspendedhistriptothecountryuntilanewhearingdateisannounced.

Then,inthecontextofthecaseagainsttheVenezuelanmediaoutletsknownasElNacional,TalCual,andLaPatillafor“continuousaggravated

defamation,”thecourtprohibited22executivesofthesemediaoutletsfrom

leavingthecountry.Thelawsuit,filedbyNationalAssemblyPresidentDiosdadoCabello,seekstopunishtheseoutletsforreplicatinginformationpublishedin

theSpanishnewspaperABClastFebruarylinkinghimtodrugtrafficking.

Withrespecttotheeconomy,onMay1stPresidentMaduroannouncedthe

secondminimumwageincreasesofarthisyear,approvinga30percentscaled

raise.Whileit’sdifficulttoquantifythestateoftheVenezuelaneconomygiventhelackofofficialdatafromtheCentralBankofVenezuela,analystspointedout

thatcontinuedwageincreasesareindicativeofthedifficulteconomicsituation

facingthecountry.

Concerningelectoralmatters,atthetimethisbulletinwaspublishedthe

CNEhadyettosetadateforparliamentaryelections,thoughinaTVinterview,theinstitution’spresident,TibisayLucena,gaveassurancesthattheywouldbe

heldinthelastquarteroftheyear.Theelectoralmanagementbodyalso

announcedthat,pursuanttoadecisionhandeddownbytheNationalAssembly,theCNEwouldnotholdelectionsforrepresentativestotheLatinAmerican

CARTER CENTER VENEZUELA  APRIL 26 – MAY 21, 2015 

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Parliament(Parlatino),thereforefromnowontheserepresentativeswillbe

appointedbytheNationalAssembly.

Also,asscheduled,duringtheperiodcoveredbythisreportthe

DemocraticUnityTable(MesadelaUnidadDemocrática‐MUD)heldtheprimariesithadannouncedtoselect25percentofthecandidatestorepresent

thevariouspartiesintheoppositioncoalitioninthe2015parliamentaryelections.TheMUD’sprimaryelectionswereheldwithtechnicalsupportfrom

theNationalElectoralCouncilin33ofthecountry’s87districts,culminatingin

theselectionof37candidates.UnityTableofficersannouncedthatthetotalnumberofvoterswas570,892,accountingfor7.64percentoftheregistered

votersinthedistrictswheretheelectionswereheld.ThePrimeroJusticia(PJ)

andVoluntadPopular(VP)partiesmanagedtorankfirstandsecond,respectively,inthenumberofvotescastandthenumberofcandidateselected.

MUDleadersconsideredtheelections“successful”describingthelevelof

participationas“higherthanexpected.”

ThepresenceofasmalltechnicalmissionsentbyUNASUR,whicharrived

inthecountryina“supportive”role,drewstrongobjectionsfromtheMUD.Accordingtoitsleaders,theoppositioncoalitionhadnotbeenapprisedofthis

matterbeforehandbythisregionalentityorbythenationalelectoral

managementbody.InaletteritsenttotheSecretaryGeneraloftheUNASUR,theMUDreferredtothismannerofconductnotonlyas“rude”and“disrespectful,”

butalsoasa“ploy”devisedbytheCNE.Evenso,thosewhosignedtheseprotests

welcomedanymissionsentbyUNASURmeetingconditionsof“rigor,professionalism,andtechnicalcriteriaconsistentwithinternationalstandards.”

TheCNEjustifiedtheUNASURgroup’spresenceattheoppositionprimaries,

pointingoutthattheEMBhadinvitedittoparticipatebackinMarch.

I. CONTEXT OF THE COUNTRY FelipeGonzálezcancelsvisit

FormerPrimeMinisterofSpainFelipeGonzález,whohadmadetheoffertolend“technicalsupport”tothosedefendingoppositionleadersLeopoldoLópezandAntonioLedezmainthecourts,announcedMay15thathewouldnotbemakingatriptoVenezuelaashehadplannedforMay18.1Thereasonforthe

1 Even though Ledezma’s lawyer, Omar Estacio, had announced that former Spanish President González would be coming to Venezuela together with former presidents Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Andrés Pastrana and Ricardo 

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tripcancellationwasapostponementofthehearing,whichtheformerprimeministerwasplanningtoattend(seenote).Gonzálezreaffirmedhisplanstovisitthecountryonceanewdateforthehearingisset(seenote).

TheVenezuelangovernmentflatlyturneddownhisoffertovisit,reassertingthatGonzálezwouldnotbewelcomeandwouldnotbelentanysupportwhatsoever(seenote).IntheNationalAssembly,therulingblocdeclaredGonzález“personanongrata”(seenote)whileacourtruledoutthepossibilityofGonzálezparticipatingaslegal“consultant”tothedefenseteamofLeopoldoLópez(seenote).OmbudsmanTarekWilliamSaab,meanwhile,criticizedGonzález’shumanrightsrecord,notingthattheformerPrimeMinisterhasbeen“accusedworldwideofengaginginState‐sponsoredterrorism”(seenote).

Inapressrelease,theformerSpanishPMassertedthathiseffortsintheproceedingsinvolvingthetwoformerVenezuelanmayorswereinthecontextof“theutmostrespect”forVenezuelanconstitutionalnormsandinternationalstandards(seenote).Lawsuitsandinvestigations

InMay,reportsontheproceedingsofthesuitfiledbyNationalAssemblyPresidentDiosdadoCabelloagainstthreemajorVenezuelanmediaoutletsfor

“continuousaggravateddefamation”tookupagreatdealofspaceinthenational

press.OnMay12,inresponsetoCabello’saccusations,thecourtsbarred22executivesoftheElNacional,LaPatilla,andTalCualnewspapersfromleaving

thecountry2(seenote).Cabello’slawsuit,filedonApril22,includedtheowners,

managers,editorialboard,shareholdersandalljournalistsassociatedwiththecontentpublishedbytheaforementionedmediaoutlets.3

ThislegalactionwastakenagainsttheaforementionednationalmediaoutletsforreplicatingreportspublishedinFebruary2015intheSpanish

newspaperABC.ThesereportscontainedstatementsallegedlymadebyCabello’s

Lagos (of Brazil, Colombia, and Chile, respectively) these leaders eventually acknowledged that, for various reasons, they were not going be able participate in this trip (see note).  2 A warrant had already been issued for the arrest of Tal Cual Director Teodoro Petkoff since March 2014 in connection with a defamation suit filed against him at the time by Deputy Cabello.  3 On March 5, 2014 the 29th Court of Control granted a hearing of the suit filed by National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello against the board of the newspaper Tal Cual and against columnist Carlos Genatios for alleged aggravated defamation, consequently ordering precautionary measures to ban this media outlet’s directors from the leaving the country and ordering them to appear before the court once per week (see note) 

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formerchiefbodyguard,LeamsySalazar,nowlivingintheUnitedStates,linking

thepresidentoftheNationalAssemblytodrugtrafficking.4

Spokespersonsforthenewspaperunanimouslycharacterizedthemove

asanattempttosilencethepress.TinedoGuía,presidentoftheNationalAssociationofJournalists,saidtheaimofthelawsuitisto“intimidatetheowners

ofmediaoutlets”aspartofthegovernment’sescalatingpolicyof“communicationalhegemonyintroducedbyHugoChávez”(seenote).

Bythedeadlineforthisnewsletter,theCabellocasehadonceagainseized

publicattentionasaresultofnewspublishedMay20inTheWallStreetJournal,indicatingthattheUSDepartmentofJusticewasmovingaheadonaninvestigationofhigh‐rankingVenezuelanofficials,includingCabello,concerningtheirallegedinvolvementinactivitieslinkedtococainetraffickingandmoneylaundering(seenote).Thereactionfromtherulingparty’sleadershipwasimmediate.Ontheverydaythearticlewaspublished,therulingpartyblocintheNationalAssemblyrequestedanurgentmotiontoelevatethestatusofCabellotothatof“NationalHero,”approvingamemorandumofapology,submittingittotheAttorneyGeneral'sOfficetobeincludedintheCabellodefamationsuitfiledagainsttheaforementionedmediaoutlets(seenote).Inturn,theleadershipoftheSupremeCourtalsoissuedastatementtheverysamedayassuringthattheinformationpublishedbyTheWallStreetJournalandreproducedbysomeVenezuelanmediaoutlets“aimedtowrongfullydiscreditVenezuelaninstitutions.”AccordingtothestatementissuedbytheChiefJusticehimself,“thesenewsquotes,lendingthemselvestospuriousinterests,replicateandpromoteimproperaccusationsinthenewswiththeintentionofreflectingcircumstancesthatareunsupportedbyanycredibleorpossiblefoundationandaltogetherlackanyeffectwhatsoeverwithinthescopeofnationallaw”(seenote).

4 Last February the Spanish newspaper ABC published statements made by Leamsy Salazar, former chief of security for the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and Cabello himself, claiming that Deputy Cabello was the ringleader of the so‐called Los Soles Cartel. Salazar is currently a refugee in the United States, where he cooperates as a witness for the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). 

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Wageincreasesandthestateoftheeconomy

AscustomaryinVenezuela,thePresidentannouncedanotherwage

increaseduringofficialLaborDayfestivities.Onthisoccasion,PresidentMaduroapproveda30percentincreaseintheminimumwageforworkersandfor

pensionsaswell.Theincrease,saidthePresident,wouldbeappliedintwoparts,

20percentimmediatelyandtheremaining10percentonJune1st.

TheincreaseannouncedbyMaduroisthesecondsofarthisyearbecause

a15percentincreasewasapprovedlastFebruary(seenote).Sincewageincreasesaregovernmentmeasurestoprotectthepurchasingpowerofworkers

againstinflation,thesestepshavebeeninterpretedassymptomsofthe

precariouseconomicsituationthecountryisundergoing(seenote).ThelackofofficialdatafromtheCentralBankofVenezuelamakesitdifficulttogaugethe

impactofwageincreases5(seenote).Accordingtoestimatesmadebyanalysts

andinternationalorganizationsforvariouseconomicindicators(amongthem

inflation),projectionspointtoaseriouseconomicsituation(seenote).

InternationalMonetaryFundestimatesforVenezuelaindicateaninflationrateofroughly96.8percentfor2015andacontractionofthegrossdomesticproduct

(GDP)ofsevenpercent(seenote).Otherfinancialorganizationsareevenmore

pessimistic,estimatinganinflationrateof174.4percentandafallintheGDPoffourpercent(seenote).

 II. POLITICAL ELECTORAL CONTEXT

EventhoughatthetimethisbulletinwaspublishedtheCNEhadnotyetannouncedthedatethatparliamentaryelectionswouldbeheldortherespectiveelectoraltimetable,theelectoralcampaignatmospherewasusheredinwiththeMay17MUDprimaries,duringwhichthemajorityoftheoppositionpartiesinVenezuelaweighedin.

5 The latest data on inflation in the country from the Central Bank of Venezuela, dealing with inflation for December 2014, was released on February 15. To date, the BCV has not issued any inflation rates for 2015. 

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Thedateforparliamentaryelections

Regardingthedateforparliamentaryelections,CNEpresidentTibisayLucenapointedoutinatelevisioninterviewthattheywouldbeheld“inthelastquarterof2015”omittingaspecificdate.LucenastressedthattheCNEwasworkingtoorganizetheseelections,andthat“virtuallyallpre‐electionduties”hadalreadybeencarriedoutbytheelectoralauthority.

Inherremarks,Lucenaruledoutthepossibilityofparliamentary

electionsnotbeingheld,notingthattheelectoralcalendarhadnotyetbeenformalizedbecausetheEMBwasengagedinconductingprimariesfortheMUD,theUnitedSocialistPartyofVenezuela(PSUV),andtheoppositionVoluntadPopularparty(seenote).OppositionspokespersonshaverepeatedlydemandedthattheCNEsetthedatefortheseelections(seenote).ElectionstotheParlatino

Prominentintheelectoralcontextwasthe“announcementofthelegislativedecision”bytheCNE,regardingtheemergencymotionmadeonApril14byNationalAssemblyPresidentDiosdadoCabelloinformingtheelectoralmanagementbodythat,sinceVenezuelanrepresentativestotheLatinAmericanParliamentwouldbeappointedbyNationalAssemblydeputiesandnotinthe2015parliamentaryelections,therewasnoneedfortheCNEtocallelectionstoputtogetherthedelegation(seenote).TheCNE,therefore,throughapressrelease,acknowledgedhavingreceivedthenotificationoftheNA“concerningthelegislativedecisiononhowtheLatinAmericanParliamentwouldberepresented”(seenote).TheNationalAssembly’sdecisionimplieseliminatingtheelectionofthe11deputiesrepresentingVenezuelaintheParlatino.InthisregardCNEPrincipalRectorLuisEmilioRondóncriticizedtheCNEfornotdeliberatingoverabolishingParlatinoelections,reiteratingthat“justastheCNEcannotasktheNationalAssemblynotolegislate,theNationalAssemblycannotasktheElectoralBranchnottocallelections.”AccordingtoRondón,thedecisionrepresentsa“restriction”and“astepbackward”withrespecttopoliticalrights(seenote).

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Equalityforwomen

DuringthesessioninwhichtheNAdecisiontoeliminateParlatinoelectionswasapproved,rectorsalsoapproved“announcingpositivestepstoensuretheequitableparticipationofwomeninthenominationofcandidatesinpoliticalorganizationsparticipatinginthisyear’sparliamentaryelections.”ThisdecisiontriggeredcontroversyamongsomeexpertsbecauseanyregulationissuedbytheCNEinconsistentwiththeprincipleofequalityamongVenezuelansorlimitingparticipationonequalterms,wouldrepresentaviolationoftheConstitution.

TheCNE’sdecisionwasmadeafteritspresident,TibisayLucena,submittedadocumentfromtheMUD’sNationalWomen'sFronttoitsdecision‐makingbodyrequestingapprovalofaresolutionestablishinggenderequalityasaconditionforparticipation,asrequiredinthe2008regionalelections(seenote).MUDprimaries

Withtheparticipationof570,892voters,representing7.64percentofallregisteredvotersinthedistrictswheretheprimarieswereheld,theDemocraticUnityTablehelditsprimaryelectionsonMay17(seenote).Unityrepresentativesreportedthatthetotalnumberofvalidvotescameto667,066,(whichwasunderstandablebecausevotershadtocastmorethanonevoteinsomedistricts).6

Intheprimaries,theMUDselected25percentofitscandidatesrunning

forNAdeputyinthe2015parliamentaryelections.7Asplanned,theprocesswascarriedoutin33ofthe87districtsontheVenezuelanelectoralmap,spanning12ofthecountry’s24states,mostofwhichhavetraditionallyvotedfortherulingparty.Inthreeofthese33districts,morethanonecandidatewasupforelection(intwoofthesedistricts,twodeputieswerebeingelected,threeinanother),amountingto37eligiblecandidatesaltogether.

6 Electoral sources expressed to the Carter Center that it is important to differentiate between the number of voters and the number of votes counted in districts electing more than one candidate (plurinominal districts) because voters may cast more than one vote in them. This is why the number of valid votes exceeded the number of voters participating in the elections. Two candidates each were selected in district one of Anzoategui and Monagas, and three in district five of Carabobo.  7 The Supreme Court (TSJ) has agreed to hear an appeal on primaries held in the Baruta‐Chacao‐El Hatillo district (Caracas). A citizen and resident of this district, José “Jota” Contreras, is demanding that the Supreme Court compel the MUD to hold primary elections in these districts (the MUD decided to select the candidate by consensus in this electoral area). The Supreme Court has not issued a decision yet on the matter (see note) 

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ThepresidentofthePrimaryElectoralCommission(CEP),JoséLuisCartaya,reportedthat1,499pollingcentershadbeenactivatedfortheprimaries,whichincluded2,742pollingstationsandtheparticipationof18,746CNE‐trainedvolunteers(seenote).8Noirregularitiesinorchallengestotheprocesswererecordedduringtheelections.

OnMay20,threedaysaftertheprimaries,theMUDannouncedthecandidatesselected,andissuedthefinaloutcomeoftheelection.Oppositionpartycoalitionleadersstatedthatthecandidatesselectedbywayofconsensuswouldbeannouncedinthedaysfollowing(informationwhich,atthetimethisnewsletterwaspublished,hadnotyetbeenreleased).BelowisthelistofcandidatesannouncedbytheMUD.

TableofcandidatesdeclaredbytheMUDState|District|PrincipalName|Votes|NominatingParty|AlternateName

8 On May 6, the CNE announced that the training workshops for polling station members were to take place May 6‐15 and that 16, 452 people would be participating. 

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BalanceofforceswithintheMUD

AccordingtotheresultsprovidedbytheMUD,theoppositioncoalitionpartiesgettingthemostvotesandcandidatesselectedwerePrimeroJusticia(PJ)andVoluntadPopular(VP).PrimeroJusticiagotatotalof125,916votes,accountingfor19.7percentofthevote,whileVoluntadPopularearnedatotalof116,371votes,for18.2percentofthetotalvote.Intermsofcandidates,PJgot11nominations,VPeight.While,vote‐wise,theSocialChristianpartyCOPEIwasthethirdpoliticalforcewith82,920votes,theyendedupwithonlyonecandidate.9Conversely,theAcciónDemocráticaparty(AD),whichrankedfourthintermsofvotesat71,573,garneredatotalofsixelectedcandidates(seenote).

Tounderstandthedifferencebetweenthenumberofvotesreceivedand

thenominationswonbyeachparty,weneedtostressthatthesamevoteallocationsystemusedintheparliamentaryelectionsisappliedintheMUDprimaries.Accordingtothissystem,knownasthemajorityrepresentationsystem,thecandidatewinningthemostvotesineachdistrictistheoutrightwinner,regardlessofthevoteshis/herpartygetsnationwide.InthecaseoftheMUDprimaries,whileCOPEIwasthepartywiththelargestnumberofcandidatesintherace,itwonthemajorityofthevotesinonlyonedistrict.TheoppositewastrueinthecaseoftheAD,which,eventhoughitrancandidatesinfewdistricts,almostallofitscandidatesgotthemajorityofthevotes(seenote).

InternalreactionsinMUDcoalitionpartiesweremixed.AsexplainedbyPrimeroJusticiaGeneralSecretaryTomásGuanipa,anallianceofpartiesarosewithintheMUDconsistingofPrimeroJusticia,UnNuevoTiempo,AcciónDemocrática,andAvanzadaProgresista.Thisalliancecameawaywinningin75percentofdistrictswhereelectionswereheld(seevideo).Meanwhile,COPEINationalPresidentRobertoEnríquezsaidthathisparty“participatedintheelectionfreeofanyalliances,”positioningitselfasthethirdpoliticaloppositionforceinthecountryvote‐wise(seenote).TheVoluntadPopularparty,throughitsnationalpolicycoordinator,FreddyGuevara,sawresultsforitsranksaspositivebyvirtueofits“clearpoliticalmessage”10(seenote).

9 To understand the difference between the votes cast and nominations won we need to know that not all 

parties fielded candidates in every district. For example, the COPEI party only ran candidates in 19 districts, while 

VP ran candidates in 18 districts, PJ in 17, and AD in only 7. 

 10 Guevara summed up this message thusly: “we’re going to win the National Assembly to remove Nicolás 

Maduro from office, along with the corrupt leadership governing us today, with the Constitution in hand.”  

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Self‐assessmentofMUDmemberparties

MUDleadersstatedthattheprimarieshadbeenasuccessandthatparticipationwas“higherthanexpected”(seenote).MirandastategovernorandPrimeroJusticialeaderHenriqueCaprilessaidthatthepeople“gaveaclearsignal(tothegovernment)intheprimaryelections”andthat“Unitywon”inthisprocess(seenote).Meanwhile,AcciónDemocráticaSecretaryGeneralHenryRamosstressedthat“withoutelectoralpropaganda,thecampaignconsistedentirelyofactivism,”whichiswhyhedeemedtheprimaries“asuccess”(seenote).MUDSecretaryGeneralJesúsChúoTorrealbaarguedthatwhile316,000peopleparticipatedintheDemocraticUnityTableprimaryforthe2010parliamentaryelections,theMUDdoubledthatfigurein2015.11

Also,Torrealbasaidthatwhiletheinternationalaverageofinternal

participationinpartyprimariesis3.5percentofallregisteredvoters,theMUDfarexceededthisaverage.Returningtothecomparisonwiththe2010primaryelections,Torrealbastressednegativechangesinthemedia,whichmadeconditionsforoppositionleaders“muchtighterandmoredemanding.”Thecontextof2015,headded,isalsocharacterizedby“amuchmoreexacerbatedpersecution”(listentoaudio).Regardingthemediacoverageduringtheprimaries,Torrealbadenouncedtheexistenceofaninformationblackout,onthepartofgovernment‐runmediaoutletsandthelocalpress.Healsocalledintoquestiontheuseofthepresidentialblanketbroadcastairedthatday(seenote).Thegovernment’sreaction

Accordingtorulingpartyspokespersons,theMUDprimarieswere“phantom”or“false”elections.ThemayorofthemunicipalityofLibertadorevendescribedthemas“thecountry’sworstelectoraldisaster.”JorgeRodríguezchallengedboththenumberofdistrictsthatengagedinprimaryelectionsandthefinancialportionthatcandidateshadtocontributeinordertoparticipateinelections.12Likewise,RodríguezalsochallengedtheveracityoftheparticipationdatadisclosedbytheMUD,notingthat,accordingto“hisinformation”participationhadnotexceeded500thousandvoters(seevideo).Meanwhile,PresidentMadurosaidthattheMUDprimarieswerea“completefraud”andthat“manypeoplehadbeenforcedtovoteintheprocess”(seenote).

11 In the 2010 primaries held by the MUD, 22 candidates were selected in 15 districts, which then meant a voter 

participation rate of 9.38 percent (see note). In its preliminary report on the 2010 MUD primaries, Súmate stated that 365,974 people out of the 3,877,976 eligible voters to participate voted in the elections, representing 9.42 percent of the total (the difference between the two figures is because the MUD announcement was made with 98% of the votes tallied, whereas Súmate figures include 100 percent of them).  12 Mayor Jorge Rodríguez affirmed that candidates were required to contribute BsF 150,000 altogether (see 

note).

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WhileonatelevisionprogramwithPresidentMaduro,Rodríguez,saidthattheMUDhadrefrainedfromusingfingerprintcapturingdevicessoasto“inflate”participationfigures,(seenote),technicianslinkedtotheMUDconfirmedtotheCarterCenterthatthesedeviceshadindeedbeenused,asstipulatedbytheCNE.ThePresenceofUNASURasapartner

OnMay15,theCNEwebportalannouncedthatatechnicalmissionoftheUnionofSouthAmericanNations(UNASUR),includingtwoofficialsfromtheSupremeElectoralTribunalofBrazil,wouldbepresentduringtheDemocraticUnityTable(MUD)primaryelections.AccordingtotheCNE,themissionwouldonlyvisitfivepollingcentersinthecapitalarea(seenewsreport).Thesupportgroupvisit,itsaid,wasrequestedbytheCNEduringthevisitmadetoVenezuelabyUNASURmembercountryforeignministersinMarch2015.

SevereobjectionstotheUNASURmissionvisitwereraisedbytheopposition,however.MUDExecutiveSecretaryJesúsTorrealbaandtheorganization’sInternationalPolicyCoordinatorRamónGuillermoAveledopointedoutinanotetotheSecretaryGeneralofUNASURthatneitherUNASURnortheCNEhadapprisedtheoppositioncoalitionofthisinvitation.Thisvisit,theysaid,“wasplannedinsecret,withoutlettingusknowaboutitinadvanceandwithoutrequestingourpermissionandcooperation”(seenote).

Nevertheless,inthisnotetheMUDwelcomedanyUNASURmissionthat

wouldcontributetobuildingtrustamongVenezuelansbyapplying“rigor,professionalismandtechnicalcriteriaconsistentwithinternationalstandards.”DemocraticUnityTablestatedthatitisinterestedintherebeinga“substantive,impartial,andcomprehensive”internationalpresence.BecauseUNASUR,itstressed,asaneworganization,“isjustbeginningtodevelopitscapacitiesinelectoralmatters,”thosewhosignedthenotesuggestedthattheagencyrequestthecooperationofotherinternationalorganizations,suchastheOAS,theUnitedNations,andtheEuropeanUnion(seeletter).

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TEAM OF EXPERTS AND CARTER CENTER STAFF

JENNIFER MCCOY, DIRECTOR, 

AMERICAS PROGRAM, THE CARTER CENTER 

HÉCTOR VANOLLI, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE, 

THE CARTER CENTER IN VENEZUELA 

GRISELDA COLINA, PROGRAM COORDINATOR, 

THE CARTER CENTER, VENEZUELA 

MARÍA ESTHER MÁRQUEZ, ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR

THE CARTER CENTER, VENEZUELA 

FRANCISCO ALFARO PAREJA, EXTERNAL CONSULTANT,

THE CARTER CENTER, VENEZUELA 

DIMITRIS PANTOULAS, EXTERNAL CONSULTANT, 

THE CARTER CENTER, VENEZUELA 

CARTER CENTER VENEZUELA

AVENIDA BEETHOVEN, TORRE FINANCIERA, PISO 14, OFICINA 14‐C 

COLINA DE BELLO MONTE, CARACAS, VENEZUELA 

TEL: (+58) 212‐7516435‐6331