The head of the Venezuelan opposition's self-styled National Primaries Commission, Jesús María Casal, at a press conference. Photo: EFE.
Despite the Venezuelan opposition’s refusal to accept technical assistance from the Venezuelan National Electoral Council (CNE) to hold its primary elections, the president of the National Primaries Commission (CNP), Jesús María Casal, has announced that the body will send a letter to the Venezuelan government, requesting security assistance for its primaries.
During an interview this Thursday, September 14, Casal said that the National Primaries Commission decided to send a note to the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of the Interior, requesting a meeting to discuss security assistance during the opposition’s presidential primary election, to be held on October 22.
In addition, according to Casal, the CNP wants to ensure a protection framework for citizens to exercise their voting rights during the electoral process, which the opposition has stated it wants to be peaceful.
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He stated that the CNP expects that local authorities, such as state police and the Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB), through their corresponding competencies, will participate in the process in a collaborative role throughout.
He also added that there are citizen initiatives that aim to monitor and assist those who will vote in the opposition primaries.
The National Primaries Commission, under pressure from some of the candidates, refused technical and logistical assistance from the CNE.
Many analysts and citizens have noted that the opposition’s primary election process is rigged with irregularities. Currently, a group of citizens has filed a legal case against the CNP for using their personal data without consent. The CNP used information from the CNE’s Electoral Registry, despite not having any connection with the Venezuelan national electoral authority.
(RedRadioVE) by Ana Perdigón
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/SC/AU
