PSUV Vice President Diosdado Cabello. Photo: Xinhua.
The vice president of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), Diosdado Cabello, confirmed that the National Electoral Council (CNE) is the organization responsible for elections in Venezuela.
During a press conference, Cabello spoke about statements by opposition leaders who say they do not want the CNE to participate in the primary elections of the opposition.
“With the CNE, it will be known how many participated,” said Cabello. “They will be exposed. The political reality of the opposition will be exposed. That’s why they don’t want the CNE anywhere.”
Cabello recalled that the CNE is the organization that directs the presidential elections, sets up the system, and carries out the counting of votes.
"La oposición puede colocar lo que quiera, es un proceso interno de ellos. Cuando hay elecciones participan y si pierden, comienza la conspiración. Llamaron a la abstención en las últimas elecciones y ahora son los abanderados de la participación", Diosdado Cabello. @dcabellor… pic.twitter.com/soWveZomWI
— PSUV (@PartidoPSUV) May 15, 2023
He criticized the opposition sector for rejecting state institutions except, of course, in the rare cases when these institutions indicate that the opposition has won an election. “When they lose, they talk about fraud,” said Cabello.
Cabello pointed out that the primary elections cannot be held without the CNE, because they would have no way of counting the votes.
Venezuela: María Corina Machado Again Attacks Opposition Primaries
“This election cannot be carried out without the participation of the CNE,” said Cabello. “There is no way to do it without the participation of the CNE. What would be the registry? How are they going to count? They have no way of doing it. They make deceptive offers to their own people.”
"La oposición pone unas reglas que no cumplen, engañan a su propia gente. En el sector opositor no hay valores, ellos velan por sus intereses", Diosdado Cabello. @dcabellor #SomosPuebloDigno pic.twitter.com/gT6GzKy0Xq
— PSUV (@PartidoPSUV) May 15, 2023
These statements from Diosdado Cabello come days after the opposition leader María Corina Machado attacked the internal elections of the opposition sector, claiming that “Venezuelans do not want to vote with fingerprinting or for the CNE to count the votes.”
The opposition leader’s statements criticizing the primaries are not new, given that since last year, even before the election date was announced, she has attempted to impose conditions for the opposition’s participation. However, her strategy does seem to have worked for her. Machado has nominated herself as presidential candidate of her party, and it appears that she will end up participating in the presidential election directed by the CNE.
(RedRadioVE) by Ana Perdigón
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/KW/SL
