Venezuela’s Indigenous communities have exercised their right to vote and to elect their representatives for the regional legislative assemblies and municipal councils throughout the country.
Indigenous communities went to the polls on Friday, November 26, to elect their representatives in accordance with traditional forms of government and local customs.
The National Electoral Council’s (CNE) main rector, Tania D´Amelio, reported that 74 voting centers were opened throughout the states of Amazonas, Anzoátegui, Apure, Bolívar, Delta Amacuro, Monagas, Sucre, and Zulia.
Venezuela’s regulations on Indigenous groups establish that 69 councilors and eight regional legislators must be elected on behalf of the aboriginal ethnic communities of the country.
Esta es la Representación Indígena a los Concejos Municipales en los estados Amazonas, Anzoategui, Apure, Bolívar, Delta Amacuro, Monagas, Sucre y Zulia. #EleccionesRegionalesyMunicipales2021 pic.twitter.com/8C3B8jH2do
— Tania D´Amelio Cardiet (@taniadamelio) November 26, 2021
According to a CNE press release, the Indigenous elections take place under a system exercised through people’s assemblies, in accordance with the customary modes of government of these communities, established through special regulations.
In all eight states, representatives to the legislative council, and their respective alternates, were elected manually.
#26Nov Desde muy temprano los electores indígenas están ejerciendo su derecho al voto en los centros habilitados por el @cneesvzla en 8 estados del país #ElecciónIndígena2021 pic.twitter.com/cgFj6f8Lfx
— Roside González (@Roside_Gonzalez) November 26, 2021
Representatives of the Latin American Council of Electoral Experts (CEELA) and other international observers participated in the elections.
Nos encontramos en el Estado Amazonas, con el Consejo de Expertos Electorales de Latinoamérica (CEELA) y los Observadores Internacionales para las Elecciones de la Representación Indígena. #EleccionesRegionalesyMunicipales2021 pic.twitter.com/hhRvwxc3Nq
— Tania D´Amelio Cardiet (@taniadamelio) November 26, 2021
In September 2021 the CNE approved the Definitive Electoral Registry for Indigenous Communities and Organizations.
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In the registry, 4,334 Indigenous spokespersons were given faculties to elect representatives to the legislative and municipal councils on November 26, as was the case for eight million Venezuelans (42% of the voter registry) on November 21.
Last year, Venezuela’s Indigenous communities elected their representatives to the National Assembly for the 2021-2026 legislative period. This vote was made through a show of hands.
Featured image: Indigenous woman voting at the regional elections in Venezuela on Friday, November 26. Photo: Twitter/@taniadamelio
(Telesur)
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/GMS/SL
