- Electoral missions have the obligation to identify possible manipulations that affect the nature of the electoral event, which must be transparent.
In the final stretch of the presidential elections in Venezuela, scheduled for July 28, parliamentarians, former presidents and other politicians from the region were prohibited from entering the country to assume the role of international observers.
Some representatives have been prevented from entering Venezuelan territory and others, such as former presidents, have been denied takeoff from other terminals, according to international media reports, on orders of the Venezuelan government.
The invitation of actors as international observers is considered throughout the world when elections are held. In Venezuela, this figure exists and is contemplated in the electoral regulations governed by the National Electoral Council (CNE) in Venezuela.
The role of those who assume this role is to observe the preparation and development of elections to ensure that there is transparency in the electoral process.
The Venezuelan Electoral Observatory (OEV) explains in your web portal that international missions participate in alliance with institutions from abroad, accredited by the electoral authorities.
Its activity is aimed at identifying and preventing errors, distortions and manipulations that affect the nature and results of the electoral event.
Functions of international observers
The OEV establishes three premises regarding its actions in elections:
- Observers: They are in charge of monitoring the development of the process at the electoral center, from the opening of the center until its closing on election day.
- Record: They are dedicated to recording the events that occurred at the voting center throughout the entire election day.
- Transmit: The missions transmit the data and incidents collected on election day to the public in a timely manner.
Behavior
According to the OEV, various electoral observation manuals agree in detailing some aspects that should guide the behavior and conduct of electoral observers:
-Respect for national legislation.
-Participation in pre-election information meetings.
-To comply with the direction and management of its coordinators by fulfilling its terms of reference and the established geographic objectives.-Take into account the presence of other electoral observation teams.
-Be duly identified and accredited as observers.
-Maintain strict impartiality in the performance of their duties and not express political preferences. Do not display or wear any partisan symbols, colors or signs of any kind.
Changes in electoral observation figures
The OEV points out that the CNE began implementing an international support plan in 2006 after considering that the observation missions were of an “invasive and tutelary” nature.
“International electoral observation has become in practice a kind of supranational action, above the State and the authority responsible for organizing the electoral process,” argued the Electoral Power. in a 2018 post which defines accompaniment as a new paradigm that implies cooperation and institutional strengthening in electoral matters.
In this way, the CNE uses the figure of “accompaniment” because it considers that, in general, it focuses more on election day.
For example, on April 8, 2024, international news agencies reported that the Venezuelan government announced an invitation to the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and Colombia, to be observers in the presidential elections on July 28.
“We talked about the invitation we have made to Celac for electoral observation. We have also transmitted it to the Colombian government and we hope that very soon those companions can be selected, that international observer, who will be welcomed in Venezuela, that observer from Celac or from Colombia to accompany our electoral celebration,” said Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil to the press.
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2024-07-28 07:18:05