Venezuelan Supreme Court Appoints Leonardo Morales Poleo as New CNE Vice President

The Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ), after verifying an absolute absence, appointed citizen Leonardo Enrique Morales Poleo as rector and vice president of the National Electoral Council (CNE), replacing Rafael Simón Jiménez, who resigned from this position on Thursday.

This is indicated by ruling No. 0083-2020, with a joint presentation of the magistrates who make up the Constitutional Chamber, a ruling that also indicates that Leonardo Enrique Morales Poleo is appointed president of the Commission for Political Participation and Financing of the highest electoral body.

It should be noted that Jiménez was appointed vice president of the CNE on June 12 when the TSJ swore in the new leadership of the Electoral Power, made up of the rectors Indira Alfonzo, José Luis Gutiérrez, Gladys Gutiérrez and Tania D’Amelio. He was also the president of the CNE’s Commission for Political Participation and Financing.

Many speculate that Jimenez, — a long standing anti-Chavista — resigned to run as a candidate in the parliamentary elections. And many also criticized his individualistic approach taking into consideration the importance of having an CNE committed to guarantee a successful electoral process.

On July 24, he had declared in an interview with the newspaper Panorama that “the great challenge facing the new Electoral Power is to rescue the confidence of Venezuelans in the vote as an instrument of change in democracy.”

Featured image: File photo.

(Alba Ciudad) with OT content

Translation: OT/JRE/EF