Posted on 11/29/2005 6:27:10 PM PST by rdb3
Three Venezuela opposition parties have pulled out of Sunday's congressional poll, accusing the electoral body of favouring pro-government candidates.
The head of the main opposition party, Democratic Action, said they felt the result would be biased against them.
However, Vice-President Jose Vicente Rangel said the party was pulling out because it was facing defeat.
Venezuelans will vote for an expanded 167-seat congress, where supporters of President Hugo Chavez have a majority.
Correspondents say that the government has vowed to increase its majority to two-thirds, which would allow it to pass constitutional reforms that opposition leaders strongly oppose.
Late stage
Democratic Action chief Henry Ramos said his party was demanding a suspension of the elections until equal conditions existed for parties.
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The opposition says this election isn't clean. It's the cleanest in Venezuela's history
Venezuelan Vice-President Vicente Rangel
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He told a news conference the electoral board had not convinced opposition candidates that the software used in the computerized voting system did not endanger voters' confidentiality.
He said the decision to pull out had been a difficult one to take at such a late stage in the campaign.
"Imagine what it means to us to say today that under these conditions we cannot participate in the electoral process."
Project Venezuela and the Social Christian Party, or Copei, later said they too were withdrawing and called for a suspension.
Members of the electoral council have repeatedly denied accusations of a pro-government bias.
Vice-President Rangel defended Sunday's poll.
"It's the cleanest in Venezuela's history, but they have interests opposed to the National Electoral Council," he said.
Earlier, a close ally of President Chavez accused Washington of interfering in the congressional elections.
National Assembly Speaker Nicolas Maduro said the US embassy was working with opposition groupings such as Sumate to encourage abstention and scepticism about the neutrality of the election board.
The poll on Sunday will be overseen by observers from the Organization of American States and the European Union.
Jimmuh has been providing cover for anti-American dictators for years. I'm sure he won't blemish his record in Venezuela. I'v given up on my hope that someday this guy would just go away.
But think about all those homes he built, speedy. You're not being fair. Typical fascist.
:) HA!
You're right, w33 -- it's very difficult to be fair to Carter. Just because he was a horrendous President and an even worse ex-President doesn't mean we shouldn't give him credit for his carpentry efforts. Think what a better place the world would be if Jimmy Carter had focused on a career working in construction instead of politics.
Mr. Carter was a fine president, speedy. He accomplished peace where no others have. Remember his motto: Don't do unto others as they have done unto you. Peace is a way of life, not just a position, speedy.
:)
I agree. Just imagine how wonderful America would be if Jimmy Carter had focused on carpentry. We can dare to dream.
Even in sarcasm, that's the first time I have ever seen that phrase in my life. Thanks for opening a new world for me, w33!!
You're welcome. I'm here to serve.
:)
This is probably why he's getting all friendly with scumbags like Mugabe,Castro and others.
Ted Kennedy, Joe Biden etal will be hosting parties in NY for Hugo and his entourage similar to the past visit by Noriega
Dang, first Iraq, now Venezuela. I've got a picture of Hugo C. shopping for yellowcake at a rural bakery in Niger that I'm going to put on ebay. ;)
[Full text] MEXICO CITY - Three Venezuelan opposition parties announced Tuesday they were withdrawing all candidates from Sunday's legislative elections, claiming election procedure irregularities make a fair vote impossible.
Officials in President Hugo Chavez's government, meanwhile, claimed that the withdrawals were a reaction to the dismal prospects that the parties faced in the upcoming balloting. Polls show that Movimiento Quinta Republica and other parties aligned with Chavez are likely to further strengthen their solid majority of seats in Venezuela's National Assembly.
The parties that are withdrawing are Accion Democratica, which was the dominant Venezuelan political party prior to Chavez's rise to power; Proyecto Venezuela, and the Social Christian Party.
"Very well, let them go to hell," said Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel. "They say this process isn't clean, but this is the cleanest in Venezuela's history."
The withdrawal shows the deepening polarization in Venezuela's political scene. Chavez has held power since 1999, survived a coup attempt in April 2002 and a referendum to remove him in August 2004.
Chavez is due to stand for re-election late next year, and at this point he is the clear favorite. He has launched a host of social programs, including cut-rate groceries, adult education and medical help for the poor.
But opponents claim he has also slowly restructured Venezuela's electoral, judicial and legislative institutions so he can bend them to his will. One such institution is the national election council known by its Spanish initials CNE, which is controlled by a pro-Chavez majority. Alleged irregularities uncovered last week in a test of CNE voting machines prompted the three parties to withdraw Tuesday. [End]
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/3492102.html
ping
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