FREE ELECTIONS IN VENEZUELA: THE WAY OUT TO THE POLITICAL CRISIS

The country is suffering from an appalling political crisis motivated by the illegitimacy of the current President of the Venezuelan Republic. The situation is seriously affecting the country’s development, and has been aggravated by the humanitarian, economic and social emergency deeply-rooted, for several years now, in the lives of the Venezuelan people.

The origin of this institutional crisis stems from the presidential election held on May 20, 2018. At that time, the Electoral Observation Network of the Education Assembly (ROAE) warned in its observation assessment report that, due to the numerous irregularities witnessed in the dates, advantages, participation conditions and the calling of the elections: “From the very beginning of the electoral process, certain fundamental aspects, which guarantee the legal, free and fair participation of the citizens and the political institutions, enshrined in our Constitution and our laws, had been altered, undermining the democratic nature of the process.” These circumstances, prior to the elections, gave no guarantees for the impartiality of the procedure and heightened the risk that the results could be rejected, increasing the discord and opening up a major confrontation among the population.

Consequently, ROAE questioned the outcome of the election that gave President Nicolas Maduro as winner, since his triumph had been “the result of an electoral process that neither had a fair participation of all political actors, nor offered the guarantees and met the international standards for an impartial, fair and transparent electoral process, and did not have participation of independent observers from international organizations.” 

Therefore, the people’s rebuff of the current authorities and the citizen’s support to the National Assembly we witness today, respond to the gravity of the facts that ROAE had already denounced.

Thecurrent authorities have responded with brutal repression to the demonstrations of civic protest that have recently arisen throughout the country, causing already a high number of deaths. We overwhelming reject these actions and demand the urgent intervention of the accountable government officials to stop this senseless reprisal.

The situation has forcefully gone beyond our borders. Democratic nations of all continents have spoken out against the unlawfulness of that electoral process and have rejected, as usurpation, the presidential proclamation ensuing from it. A substantial number of nations have recognized the President of the National Assembly as interim president of the country. Other leaders have expressed their willingness to recognize it, lest a presidential election with democratic guarantees is organized within the next few days. The general outcry calls for the return of respect and recognition to the Presidency of the Republic as an institution, and the organization of free and transparent elections as means of restoring peace and civic coexistence among Venezuelans.

ROAE holds a broad experience and knowledge, developed during more than twelve years observing 16 national electoral processes and the elections in other Latin American countries. Thus, it is willing to design the framework for a presidential election, which will guarantee the impartiality and transparency of the process to the participating constituents. A process that, as is expected in a democracy, will allow free access to all political parties and candidates, including those who were illegally disqualified, in a way that is unfamiliar to the vast majority of Venezuelans.

In due course, the calling of free elections will be the best path to peace, freedom and progress for all Venezuelans.

On the page www.redobservacion.orgyou can find the documents cited in this press release