President of the Institute of European Higher Studies on Venezuelan Elections
- How could you depict the Election Day of last April 14?
- If I had to find the image of the day, that would be the people shouting "Freedom!" at the entrance of Aplicación High School (the polling station). The pivotal role of international observation is giving people the voice they usually do not have and we, with such report, have tried to give a face and voice to such events.
- Those voters were identified with the Venezuelan opposition. Aren't you afraid, given the findings of the report, of being linked with the opposition?
- I just can attest to what I witnessed. Please, don't try to assess us; we are mere transmitters of what we saw and what we saw on that day were presumed electoral offenses, such as somebody who was detained with a important package of ID cards, a motorized and armed convoy and a deputy of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) cornered by a mob and almost lynched.
- Those events were never investigated or clarified.
- Quite the opposite. The National Electoral Council just noted in its press conference that people prevented the exercise of assisted voting. That is, they not only refrained themselves from relating the event, but also gave a version different from what occurred.
- Does it mean that the CNE twisted the events?
- Absolutely. We make assertions based on scientific research; thus, we found that a significant number of coordinators in polling stations were members of the PSUV. Out of the 47 interviews conducted by us, we found that 36 were militants of the ruling party. That has to be said, hasn't it?
- There were other, much denounced, events, regarding assisted voting.
- Honestly, we did not identify such a circumstance.
- Could you check the cases of witnesses ordered to leave their voting centers?
- We verified at least two or three circumstances where the behavior of witnesses was not welcome. In addition, we witnessed how a CNE coordinator expelled one of them.
- That day there were reports of dumped ballots as well.
- We have analyzed it and concluded that it was untrue. We just seek truth and truth should prevail. All those images of boxes stuffed with ballots were montages.
- On April 14 there was also propaganda outside polling stations. Did you notice such violation of the law?
- We verified that in all schools (polling stations) there were convoys requesting vote and people with loudspeakers less than 300 meters from polling stations.
- Did you tell the CNE all those irregularities?
- Sure. In addition, we sent a communication to the Embassy of Venezuela in Spain for a formal service of the note, but we received no answer.
- Why did you resolve to release the report?
- Electoral regulations in Venezuela put an impediment concerning confidentiality that does not exist anywhere else in the world and when one puts the ethical and institutional balance, transparency takes precedence over concealment. The work carried out by us was not commissioned by the CNE; our accountability is precisely for citizens.
- Is the report made public by you exactly as the report you furnished to the CNE?
- It is identical and I must say that all the links referred by us to illustrate the use of state-run media outlets on behalf of a candidate have disappeared. For instance, on the website of the Embassy of Venezuela in Spain, reference was made to a "fascist candidate." How come that you demean a candidate on the website of a diplomatic mission? All the links were turned off, yet we have the screen captures for the record.
- The report also points to an abusive CNE.
- I had never seen an electoral body with such a protruding role. The CNE appoints coordinators; it is the only entity empowered to supply data; host press conferences; authorize and pick up guest observers. So, what for? How come two and a half hours elapsed after closing the schools –as it happened in October 2012- without a single appearance of its (CNE) authorities? Is there any darker ambit than that?
- The Institute of European Higher Studies speaks of permeability in all Venezuelan branches of government and fingers the Supreme Tribunal of Justice for "alleged prevarication."
- Why do we say so? Because the TSJ introduced the judgment which legitimized the candidacy of Nicolás Maduro as vice-president by praising the value and merits of deceased President Hugo Chávez. Constitutionalists who see such judgment would put their hands on their heads, because the authority of competent jurisdiction should be not only neutral and alien to the Executive and Legislative powers, but also face them.
- What are the mechanisms for the citizens of a country where there is no power severability?
- We have prepared an accountability report and the report just provides the tools for citizens to form their own opinion. What should the public opinion do? Getting organized, using the channels to be heard at both national and international bodies.
- What could happen if Venezuelans fail to find a relief valve?
- In order to prevent gradual advance toward demise, there is the need to end in Venezuela with such an idea, those practices and those elites that regard the "State as loot" in the great kingdom of impunity. Time has come for an overhaul based on a pact making room for different currents. The question mark is what will come next? I have talked in my articles about a failed State.
- And, in your opinion, could Venezuela become a "failed State"?
- A "failed State" not only means weakness of the State and State institutions, but also where there are not assurances that half of the citizenry can live with the other half within the framework of fundamental rights and liberties.
- How do you call then a system which, as stated in your report, lacks autonomous institutions?
- I have talked about the concept of "perfectly authoritarian democracy."
- Is that a way of calling authoritarianism?
- This is clearly a formal democracy but of an authoritarian nuance, which undoubtedly endangers such classification.
- Do the positions of the Institute of European Higher Studies compromise the European Union?
- Not at all. Furthermore, the European Union has issued a final opinion. The Institute is a non-profit organization that pools certain actions arisen from the European Union. As for me, the European Commission allocates a portion of my wage in the universities where I work to explain and implement some of the aims and objectives of the European Union, in my case, cooperation with Latin America.
- And for the Institute of European Higher Studies, is Maduro a legitimate president?
- I don't know; it is like the issue of fraud. We are not entitled to say whether he is or is not legitimate. That is Venezuelans' business. We just provide the tools for citizens, media, branches of government and organizations to form their own opinion.
Translated by Conchita Delgado
Source: http://www.eluniversal.com/nacional-y-politica/130625/we-saw-electoral-offenses-such-as-someone-with-forged-id-cards
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