Electoral Experts Call for Respect of Venezuela Assembly Vote

Some 43 international observers and electoral experts to Venezuela's National Constituent Assembly Sunday called for the international community to respect the will of the Venezuelan people.

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The Council of Electoral Specialists of Latin America composed of former presidents and magistrates from electoral organizations throughout Latin America was the main international organization that observed Venezuela's ANC.

According to CEELA, Venezuela's assembly vote was a clear indication that "the Venezuelan people have made their case for peace despite threats and interventionist actions for the United States as well as their associates and allies."

International observers — politicians, parliamentarians, campesinos, Indigenous people, workers and representatives from electoral missions and organizations in different parts of the world — also participated and reiterated that Venezuela's self-determination and sovereignty, as expressed through ANC elections participants, must be recognized and respected.

Nicanor Moscoso, the organization's representative, delivered a statement which read, in part, that Venezuela's legitimate and robust voting system “guarantees that the results accurately reflects the will of voters,” according to Prensa Latina.

Over eight million people voted in Venezuela's election Sunday — a turnout of over 41 percent, according to electoral authorities — to choose from 6,120 candidates for the 545-member ANC.

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The statement noted that “the Venezuelan people have made their case for peace despite threats and interventionist actions from the United States as well as their associates and allies."

It added that Venezuelans “have concurred in a civic and peaceful manner to exercise their right to vote in a free, universal, direct, and secret election as expressed in Article 63 of the Bolivarian Constitution.”

Moscoso stressed that the ANC should serve as a legal mechanism to help promote a healthy dialogue among political opponents in order to guarantee the wellbeing of and peace between all Venezuelan citizens.

The report will be presented to Venezuela's National Electoral Council.