- The CNE had invited the former president of Argentina to participate in the process
Former Argentine President Alberto Fernández announced that he will not travel to Venezuela for the July 28 presidential elections due to a decision by Nicolás Maduro’s government. The National Electoral Council (CNE) had previously sent him an invitation to attend the elections as an “electoral observer.”
Yesterday, the Venezuelan national government informed me of its desire that I not travel to Venezuela and desist from fulfilling the task that had been entrusted to me by the CNE,” he stated on his X account.
Fernández explained that the reason given to him was that, in the government’s opinion, the public statements he made to a national media outlet “caused discomfort and raised doubts” about his impartiality.
The former president also expressed his hope that Venezuela could hold elections in a “transparent” manner and that the popular verdict would be respected.
As can be seen in the note shown, the National Electoral Council of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela called me to participate as an observer of the election that will be held in that country next Sunday.
Yesterday, the Venezuelan national government informed me… pic.twitter.com/MAVkjCwJIS
— Alberto Fernandez (@alferdez) July 24, 2024
“I wish I could have done it”
Former President Alberto Fernandez said he does not understand the discontent generated in the Venezuelan government. He recalled that he only said that in a democracy when the people cast their vote, “the one who wins, wins and the one who loses, loses,” and that if the government were eventually defeated, it should accept the popular verdict, as should the opposition if it loses.
“Given the unusual demand, I thought it appropriate not to travel and not give rise to accusations of wanting to cloud a crucial election day, when I was only trying to fulfill the task of an election observer,” he said.
Fernández recalled that an electoral observer must monitor compliance with the established rules throughout the electoral process, in an objective, impartial and transparent manner.
“That was my only goal. I would have liked to be able to do it, but I feel that in the context created I will not be able to fully accomplish that task,” he lamented.
For the former president, if transparent elections are held, the Venezuelan people will recover “democratic coexistence and the millions of Venezuelans who had to emigrate will be able to return to their country.”
Fernández said he made the situation public in order to express his best wishes for Venezuela to have “the best future it deserves.”
Previous statements
When he received the invitation from the CNE, the former Argentine president said that he would arrive in Venezuela days before the presidential elections in order to have time to listen to the concerns of opposition sectors regarding the elections.
“What I want is for there to be a transparent election, what Venezuela needs is to recover its democratic coexistence and those who are wandering around the world, because they left the country for whatever reason, can return,” said the former president in an interview for the Argentine radio station. Radio With Voice on July 23rd.
At that time, Alberto Fernández assured that his role in Venezuela is not to legalize any candidate, but to fulfill the task for which he was invited to be an electoral observer.
In the interview, Fernandez said he agreed with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva on what the Venezuelan president should do if he loses the presidential election: accept the voters’ decision.
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2024-07-24 23:35:01
