Venezuela: Supreme Court Suspends Opposition Primaries Results

The Venezuelan Supreme Court of Justice’s (TSJ) Electoral Chamber suspended all the results of the different phases of the internal opposition elections organized by the National Primary Commission (CNP). This comes after accepting an appeal filed by opposition deputy José Brito.

This Monday, October 30, the Electoral Chamber released ruling 122 requesting the application of precautionary safeguarding. Therefore, all the results of the opposition primaries are suspended. Despite this decision, due to the private consultation nature of the opposition electoral event, where far-right pre-candidate María Corina Machado was declared victorious, the outcome will likely not drastically change, according to analysts.

“All the results of the different phases of the electoral process conducted by the National Primary Commission are suspended,” stated the TSJ.

#ULTIMAHORA | Sala Electoral del TSJ publica sentencia en la que “suspenden todos los efectos de las distintas fases del proceso electoral conducido por la Comisión Nacional de Primaria”. pic.twitter.com/V0JtsjlQPq
— REDRADIOVE (@RedRadioVe) October 30, 2023

Now, the CNP will have three days to present the Electoral Chamber with the administrative background containing the documentation supporting the completion of the 25 phases of the opposition’s internal elections.

The administrative background includes regional and national tally records, voting booklets, voting ballots, and ballot records. In addition, the acceptance records disqualified candidates from the Comptroller’s Office and the resignations of the candidates Henrique Capriles and Freddy Superlano.

During these three days, the CNP must submit a report explaining the mechanisms to safeguard electoral material and the location designated for this purpose.

Venezuela Public Ministry Summons Jesús María Casal for Opposition Primaries Fraud Investigation

Finally, the TSJ ordered Attorney General of the Republic Tarek William Saab and other Public Powers to be notified about this sentence. “They could establish the commission of electoral crimes and the alleged common crimes.”

The TSJ decision was made amid the Public Ministry summoning of CNP President Jesús María Casal and Vice President Mildred Camero by the prosecutor’s office for the fraud investigation regarding the opposition primaries.

Opposition parliamentarian José Brito asked the TSJ and the Public Ministry for a criminal investigation against the CNP for lying to the Venezuelan people, the multiple irregularities recorded in the electoral process, and the inconsistencies in the turnout numbers provided by the opposition organizers. This inconsistency might be connected to identity theft alleged in the opposition primaries.

(RedRadioVE) by Ana Perdigón, with Orinoco Tribune content

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

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