The main witness of the Unitary Platform before the National Electoral Council, Delsa Solórzano, called for redoubling citizen verification on July 28 in light of the Venezuelan government’s ban on allowing international observers in. She said that “more than 90% of the country’s polling stations have been set up” and that there is “no reason to be alarmed today.”
As the days for the presidential elections in Venezuela draw closer, tensions are growing over the behavior of the ruling party, which has insisted that it will only recognize one victory. On Friday, July 26, a dozen former presidents and parliamentarians from different countries stated that they were not allowed to enter the country to participate as observers of the process.
Given this scenario, the president of Encuentro Ciudadano and main witness before the National Electoral Council (CNE) on behalf of the Unitary Platform, Delsa Solórzano, called for redoubling citizen verification in the absence of international observation to act as a guarantor of the process.
“This situation puts the emphasis on another type of observation. We do not have international observation, So we need national observation to be more forceful. And more forcefully, we are going to comply with the law and we are going to redouble citizen verification, and how will we do it? Taking care of the witnesses, checking that they have water, we take turns and at closing time everyone goes to their center for citizen observation and the numbers are going to be the numbers,” said Solórzano in a press conference this afternoon.
The leader, who has become a key figure in reaching the election on July 28, condemned that they were not given allowed the entry into Venezuela of former Mexican President Vicente Fox, former Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso, former Costa Rican President Miguel Ángel Rodríguez and former Colombian Vice President Marta Lucía Ramírez.
“There is no way to justify this. What do they want to hide? Why are they prohibited from seeing this process that will take place peacefully in Venezuela? What is their fear? What do they want to hide? Why do they prevent us from being present at this process?” Solórzano lashed out.
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The president of Encuentro Ciudadano said that the opposition is “in the democratic game and they want to play until the end.” She also indicated that usurping the functions of the National Electoral Council (CNE) is a crime, but that having the minutes of Sunday’s results is not a crime.
“These results are based on the records that we will have, the same data that the CNE will have is the same data that we will have, it’s that simple, what does violate the law is the attempt to not give the records to the witnesses,” he said.
Solórzano reported that More than 90% of the country’s tables have been installed. 30,026 tables have been recorded and less than 1% of incidents have occurred at them so far. The spokeswoman explained that the installation of the tables will start at five in the morning, so witnesses have to be there early and that “there is no reason to be alarmed today.”
He also referred to the revocation of the invitation to former Argentine President Alberto Fernández, who had been invited by the CNE. “Just because he gave his opinion, because he said the one who won won and the one who lost lost, that is how it is here and everywhere,” he said. At the same time, he thanked the support of the delegations that intended to accompany the elections.
“We salute and embrace the delegation of the Popular Party of Spain, for daring to come and see how we Venezuelans obtain democracy. These situations, which are violations of human rights, must be condemned,” he said.
Support for volunteers
The main witness before the CNE, on behalf of the Unitary Platform, said that this Friday they were taking care of the logistics for the volunteers. “Today we are deciding on juices, hydration, sandwiches for the volunteers who are also working hard and making this process possible. On Sunday morning, whoever can make an arepita, make two, whoever can bring a thermos of water as well.”
Finally, Solórzano recalled that Article 328 of the Constitution establishes that the Armed Forces cannot have any political bias and that they must guarantee the security of the voting centers.
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