Venezuelan National Assembly President Jorge RodrĂguez shows a photo of far-right former presidential candidate Edmundo GonzĂĄlez and former CNE rector Juan Carlos Delpino shaking hands. Photo: National Assembly.
The National Assembly of Venezuela appointed Conrado PĂ©rez as a new rector of the National Electoral Council (CNE) after the impeachment of former rector Juan Carlos Delpino.
In a regular session on Thursday, October 17, the National Assembly dismissed Delpino in accordance with Articles 31 and 32 of the Organic Law of the Electoral Power, and gave permission to the Public Ministry to immediately start a thorough investigation for his alleged participation in the commission of multiple crimes, including flagrant violation of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, electoral fraud, conspiracy, treason, criminal association, and promotion and incitement of hatred.
After Delpino’s dismissal, the National Assembly proceeded to appoint Conrado PĂ©rez as the new rector, respecting the “order of the corresponding substitutes of the rectors” of the CNE.
Upon presenting the appointment, the deputies described Dr. Conrado PĂ©rez as “a defender of the nationalist cause, a defender and recognizer of the State institutions.” With his appointment, the National Assembly complied with Section 3 of Article 296 of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
According to Section 3 of Article 12 of the Organic Law of the Electoral Power, the absence of a rector or their alternate is considered as “temporary” if it does not exceed 10 successive business days without justified cause and can be extended up to 90 days at the discretion of the CNE, in case of the existence of justified causes.
However, the law establishes that “when an electoral rector is totally absent along with their alternate, the National Assembly will appoint the principal and their substitute from the lists of candidates presented to the Assembly by the Committee of Electoral Evaluations and Nominations, taking into account the established order.”
In accordance with this law, the National Assembly appointed Conrado PĂ©rez Briceño as the principal rector and Aura Rosa HernĂĄndez as his alternate. Subsequently, the president of the National Assembly, Jorge RodrĂguez, swore in the new rector and his alternate.
Dismissal of Juan Carlos Delpino
During the session, National Assembly President RodrĂguez, upon taking the floor, explained that “the mess” with Delpino began on July 28, after it became clear that President NicolĂĄs Maduro was going to win the presidential elections.
RodrĂguez went on to explain that the plan was for Delpino to appear on the VenevisiĂłn channel on July 28 to speak against the electoral process and cry fraud, but he “backed out” and claimed that he could not say anything because “he was not there.”
“He had also been instructed to try, by all means from within the Electoral Power, in his capacity as rector, to affect the issuance of the first bulletin,” RodrĂguez added. “What happened is that he got scared and hid, creating a laughable situation.”
RodrĂguez decried that fugitive Rafael RamĂrez’s money was involved in the intention to carry out the operation against the elections, but it did not materialize due to Delpino’s “cowardice.”
He commented that Delpino “played on the offside … He was to explain what had happened on July 28, but what he said when he appeared [on TV] was: ‘I cannot say anything because I was not there,’ which means that Rafael RamĂrez wasted that money in vain, Julio Borges was disappointed again, and Alberto Federico Ravell shouted in rage.”
RodrĂguez said that he has recordings of Alberto Federico Ravell shouting at the former rector, reproaching him for his inaction regarding the planned program and accusing him of cowardice.
He added that Delpino is currently banned from entering the United States because he was deported while in an illegal status in that country. “That is why he left BogotĂĄ for Panama and then traveled to Spain,” he said, and showed a photograph of Delpino shaking hands with Edmundo GonzĂĄlez who is in Spain since September.
Venezuela’s National Assembly President: Defense of Sovereignty Law Will Safeguard Peace
Public Ministry to open investigation
Deputy RodrĂguez emphasized that dismissal is not enough, but that a criminal investigation will be opened against Delpino so that the judiciary can enforce the mandates of the Law of Extinction of Dominion, the Comptroller’s Office can establish the corresponding administrative sanctions, and the Attorney General’s Office can hold Delpino responsible for crimes of treason, conspiracy, and complicity in the murders of 27 people that took place during the post-electoral violence.
Deputy JosĂ© Villarroel GarcĂa stated that Delpino refused to meet with his colleagues, was absent from his duties, and subsequently left the country. The deputy stressed that the rector, at the time when his country needed him the most, did not fulfill his duties, attacked his institution, and gave incendiary statements to foreign media.
Villarroel emphasized that the Law of Extinction of Dominion must be applied against Delpino and, in addition to his removal due to his complete absence from duties, he should be accused of “treason against the homeland.” He questioned why Delpino met with a representative of the United States government in BogotĂĄ.
“Juan Carlos Delpino is part of the conspiracy to de-recognize the electoral result, create violence, and consequently he bears responsibility for the 27 deaths,” Villarroel said. “He has to pay for it, for each one of the Venezuelans killed in a savage and brutal manner. Those deaths do not hurt the European Union or the Americans… It is because of this that he escaped on the night of July 28, for failing to fulfill the constitutional duty of issuing an electoral result.”
The president of the National Assembly pointed out that after the scheme with Delpino failed, the far right moved on to “the next plan” with dozens of mercenaries.
Deputy Iris Varela: Delpino committed crimes against the homeland
Deputy Iris Varela specified that one cannot be but outraged when a high-ranking official of the CNE “repugnantly allies with the enemies of the homeland to conspire against the republic.” She stressed that Delpino committed crimes that threaten the State and the security of the nation.
“They are crimes against the homeland,” Varela stated.
“When the result was announced, with a margin of more than a million in favor President Maduro, Delpino disappeared, fled, and committed serious crimes that carry sentences of 12 to 24 years,” she added.
She emphasized that the Attorney General’s Office must proceed with a thorough, urgent investigation and that those responsible must be punished.
“What kind of defense can someone have who betrays his homeland, who leaves a besieged country,” she expressed, adding that anyone who supports “scoundrels of this kind” must be complicit.
Cabello had reported Delpino
Diosdado Cabello, minister for the Interior, Justice, and Peace, had previously reported on his TV program Con El Mazo Dando that Delpino had been taken out of the country through Colombia and then brought to Panama with the hope that he would follow the fraud script. However, he appeared a month later, claiming that he had no evidence of fraud and confirming that the electoral system had been a victim of cyberattacks.
“He went through Colombia and there he was received by a very pretty girl with the initials P.O,” Cabello reported. “He was taken to the house of a director of [Canadian oil company] Pacific Rubiales and from there to a building of the United States Embassy in BogotĂĄ. He was retained there, along with five people he brought. The guy is a hostage.”
Venezuelan authorities believe that Delpino abandoned his post on July 28 itself. Subsequently, he appeared in Panama, giving statements to some foreign media.
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/SC/DZ
