Venezuela: Supreme Court Initiates Electoral Evidence Expert Appraisal, Decision Unappealable
The president of the Venezuelan Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ), Caryslia Rodríguez, reported that the Electoral Chamber will focus on the expert examination of the electoral material submitted by the political parties that participated in the electoral process of July 28 in order to produce a definitive ruling. She also recalled that the decisions of the highest court have the character of “res judicata” and are therefore unappealable.
This was announced by the head of the Venezuelan Judiciary during a press conference in front of the Diplomatic Corp accredited in Venezuela held on Saturday, August 10, at the headquarters of the TSJ, in which she also mentioned that an expert report will be carried out on the massive cyber attack that the National Electoral Council (CNE) was subjected to.
Rodríguez added, “This courtroom will be staffed by highly qualified personnel who will use the highest technical standards, thus guaranteeing that this highest judicial authority will sovereignly resolve conflicts that are the exclusive responsibility of the Venezuelan State.”
The highest judge explained that the court is continuing the expert appraisal that began on August 5 in order to produce the final ruling to respond to the electoral contentious appeal, which will have the character of “res judicata, since this jurisdictional body is the highest judicial authority in judicial matters,” that is, the decisions of the TSJ are unappealable and subject to full compliance.
Rodríguez reiterated her commitment and willingness to the people to deliver justice: “Nothing will stop us in our sacred mission.”
Political organizations appeared
The head of the Judiciary described it as a transcendental moment that, in the event of any doubt or conflict, the answers must be found in the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
She reiterated that the CNE appeared in full with all its rectors before the Electoral Chamber of the highest body, delivering all the required documents on the electoral process of July 28.
Also present were the 38 political organizations that presented candidates in the electoral process, of which 33 handed out electoral material. Of the 10 former candidates, 9 of them attended.
Opposition candidate in contempt
President of the TSJ said, “It is noted that former candidate Edmundo González did not attend, therefore, he did not comply with the summons order, disregarding the highest court, consequently, he did not comply with the submission of the voting records or any other material.”
She added that Manuel Rosales, José Luis Cartaya and José Simón Calzadilla, representatives of the political parties that supported the far-right candidacy, also did not submit any electoral material “arguing that they do not have documentation, in this sense they stated that they do not have witness records of the polling stations.”
In addition, opposition politicians said that the Súmate organization was part of the technical service that took the voting records and posted them on a website, which is the subject of an investigation by the Attorney General’s Office for the alleged crimes of usurpation of functions, forgery of public documents, instigation to disobedience of the law, computer crimes, criminal association and conspiracy.
Below is the unofficial translation of the Supreme Court statement:
THE SUPREME COURT OF JUSTICE IN THE ELECTORAL ROOM
File No. AA70-E-2024-000034
Considering that on August 7, 8 and 9, 2024, oral hearings of representatives of political parties as well as former candidates were held in this Jurisdictional Body, according to the schedule established by ruling dated August 5, 2024, ratified on the 6th of the same month and year, in which they had to deliver all electoral instruments they possess and that were of legal relevance related to the Presidential Election process held on July 28, 2024, this Electoral Chamber proceeds to make the following considerations:
First: It is reiterated that the National Electoral Council as the Governing Body and highest authority of the Electoral Power in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, appeared in plenary session with all its Principal Rectors and Rectors headed by its President Dr. Elvis Eduardo Hidrobo Amoroso, fully complying with the requirement made by this Electoral Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice, by promptly and timely delivering all the records related to the electoral process.
Second: It is noted that thirty-eight (38) representatives of political organizations were legally summoned, as well as the ten (10) former candidates who participated in the presidential elections, totaling forty-eight (48) citizens, summoned to appear before this judicial instance.
Third: In response to the aforementioned summons, the thirty-eight (38) political organizations that applied for the elections responded promptly, with thirty-three (33) of them submitting the required electoral material, which were the following: First Venezuela, First Justice Movement, Union Vision Venezuela, Venezuela Unity, Democratic Action (AD), COPEI, Republican Movement, Red Flag, Popular Democratic Right, National Electoral Union, Popular Will, Political Alliance Assembly Renewal and Hope (AREPA), Hope for Change, Solutions for Venezuela, Min Unity, Let’s Change, Progressive Advance, Ecological Movement of Venezuela, Neighborhood Force, National Democratic Confederation (CONDE), United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), TUPAMARO, Homeland for All (PPT), We Are Venezuela Movement, Authentic Renewal Organization (ORA), For Social Democracy (PODEMOS), Green Party, Fall in Love with Venezuela, Electoral Movement of the People (MEP), Future Venezuela Party, Communist Party of Venezuela (PODEMOS), and the following: Venezuela (PCV), Venezuelan Popular Unity (UPV) and Alliance for Change. Likewise, of the ten (10) former candidates cited, nine (9) of them attended, namely: citizens Antonio Ecarri, Enrique Marquez, Jose Brito, Luis Eduardo Martinez, Daniel Ceballos, Javier Bertucci, Claudio Fermin, Benjamin Rausseo and President Nicolas Maduro Moros. On the other hand, it is noted that the political organizations Alianza al Lápiz and Movimiento Centrados Para la Gentes did not submit the required electoral material, as well as the former candidates Antonio Ecarri and Enrique Marquez.
Fourth: It is noted that the former candidate Edmundo González Urrutia DID NOT ATTEND and therefore DID NOT COMPLY with the summons order, disregarding with his inaction the mandate of this, the Highest Instance of the Electoral Litigation Jurisdiction of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Consequently, he DID NOT COMPLY with the submission of the voting records of the scrutiny, the list of witnesses or any electoral material.
Fifth: It is hereby categorically stated that citizens Manuel Rosales, representative of Un Nuevo Tiempo (UNT), José Luis Cartaya, representative of the Mesa de la Unidad Democrática (MUD) and José Simón Calzadilla, representative of the Movimiento por Venezuela (MPV), all members of the Alianza Plataforma Unitaria Democrática and candidates of former candidate Edmundo González Urrutia; did not submit any electoral material, arguing that they do not have any type of documentation referring to this electoral process, in this sense, they stated that they do not have the voting records of the scrutiny of the witnesses of the polling stations, nor lists of witnesses, also claiming that they did not participate in the process of transfer and safekeeping of any material. Likewise, they pointed out that the SUMATE organization is part of the technical advisory team of the Democratic Unitary Platform Alliance, and in turn they did not know who carried out the upload of the information of the alleged voting records on the website www.resultadospresidencialesvenezuela2024.com, which is being investigated ex officio by the Attorney General of the Republic, Dr. Tarek William Saab, who ordered “… to open a criminal investigation to determine the responsibilities of the case, given the anxiety caused in the population by the alleged commission of the crimes of usurpation of functions, forgery of public documents, instigation to disobedience of the laws, computer crimes, criminal association and conspiracy … “.
Consequently, the electoral instruments of the different factors participating in the Presidential Election process held on July 28, 2024 having been collected; The Magistrates of this Electoral Chamber are dedicated to the EXPERTISE of all electoral material of probative value recorded in physical and/or digital form, as well as to the EXPERTISE on the massive cyber attack that the Venezuelan electoral system was subjected to, for which this Chamber will have highly qualified and suitable personnel who will use the highest technical standards, thus guaranteeing this Highest Judicial Instance to all citizens that we will sovereignly resolve the conflicts that are exclusively the responsibility of the Venezuelan State, therefore this Electoral Chamber continues with the expert opinion started on August 5, 2024, in order to produce the FINAL SENTENCE that responds to this appeal, which will have the character of res judicata, since this jurisdictional body is the highest judicial instance in electoral matters, so its decisions are unappealable and mandatory.
The Supreme Court of Justice of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela considers it appropriate to reiterate its commitment and willingness to the Venezuelan people to dispense justice, so nothing will stop us in our sacred mission.
Publish and register. Comply with the order.
Featured image: Venezuelan Supreme Court board during a meeting with the Diplomatic Corps accredited to Venezuela on Saturday, August 10, 2024. Photo: Ultimas Noticias.
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/MCM
