Brazil and Colombia suspended sending observers to Venezuela’s elections: what was the reason?

• The decision of both countries occurred after statements by Nicolás Maduro

Brazil’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) and the Colombian government announced on July 24 that they will not send observers to Venezuela’s presidential elections scheduled for July 28, following statements by President Nicolas Maduro about its electoral system.

“In the face of false statements against Brazilian electronic voting machines, which, contrary to what Venezuelan authorities claim, are auditable and secure, the Superior Electoral Tribunal will not send technicians to respond to a request made by the National Electoral Council (CNE) of that country to monitor Sunday’s elections,” the TSE said in a statement.

The Brazilian body said it does not accept that, internally or externally, through statements or acts that disrespect the fairness of the Brazilian electoral process, “the seriousness and integrity of the elections” and of electronic voting machines in Brazil are undermined.

On the other hand, journalist Ricardo Ospina reported through his X account that Colombia formally cancelled the commission that Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo had requested to go to Venezuela.

Maduro’s statements

During a campaign event in the state of Aragua, President Nicolás Maduro questioned the electoral systems of Colombia and Brazil, saying that in those countries they supposedly do not audit “a single record.”

“We have the best electoral system in the world, it has 16 audits and a hot audit is done on 54% of the tables. Where else in the world do they do that? In the United States? The electoral system is unauditable. In Brazil? They don’t audit a single record. In Colombia? They don’t audit a single record. In Venezuela we audit 54%,” Maduro said on July 23.

Maduro made the criticism after Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said the Venezuelan leader had “to learn that when you win, you stay, and when you lose, you leave and prepare for other elections.”

At a press conference on Monday, July 22, Lula da Silva said he was frightened when Maduro said that if he loses Sunday’s elections there would be “a bloodbath.”

Photo: EFE/Andre Borges

International observers

Leonel Fernández, former president of the Dominican Republic, announced on July 24 that he accepted the CNE’s invitation to participate as an international observer in the electoral process on Sunday, July 28.

In this way, the former Dominican president will accompany former presidents Ernesto Samper of Colombia; José Rodríguez Zapatero of Spain and Omar Torrijos of Panama, who were also invited as observers.

“We will be alongside these former presidents in carrying out this work. We are grateful for this invitation,” said Fernández.

On the other hand, the former president of Argentina Alberto Fernandez announced that he will not travel to Venezuela for the presidential elections on July 28 by decision of the government of Nicolás Maduro, despite the fact that the 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.

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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.

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