THE VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION’S MAIN ARGUMENTS FOR NOT RECOGNIZING YESTERDAY’S ELECTORAL RESULTS

VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION: SORE LOSERS?

The Venezuelan opposition, the New York Times and the U.S. government are arguing that yesterday’s Venezuelan elections were unfair because voters in some wealthy areas had to vote in voting centers that were not in locations where they live. The reason for this relocation was announced some time ago by the National Electoral Council (CNE). Certain wealthy areas that had produced considerable violence (eastern Caracas, Lechería in Anzoategui, etc.) just a few months ago – and where security officers had been attacked by protestors in actions that the opposition mayor’s did nothing to prevent – were considered battlegrounds. For security reasons, the CNE (in accordance with what is stipulated in the nation’s electoral legislation) decided against opening voting centers in those areas and to send people to other voting centers (located no more than 1000 meters away) in the same city. This is exactly what the CNE did on July 30 in the elections for the constituent assembly. The opposition knew of this decision prior to yesterday’s elections. If the opposition considered the CNE’s decision unacceptable, why did it participate in the elections in the first place?

Another opposition argument is that some voting centers did not open on time. International observers have indicated that these cases were extremely isolated. In addition, the question may be asked, is this really a valid reason to refuse to recognize electoral results? As has been the case with past elections, it would appear that the Venezuelan opposition is deserving of the epithet “sore loser.”