National Primary Commission President Jose Maria Casal speaking to the press. Photo: Rayner Peña R./EFE/file photo.
Given the low level of interest shown by Venezuelans expats to register and participate in the opposition primary elections, the National Primary Commission (CNP) extended the deadline for voters to register and update their information. The measure was adopted with the hopes of increasing participation in the opposition’s internal electoral process.
Through a press release, the CNP announced on Monday, July 3, that the deadline will be extended for two more days, until Sunday, July 9 at 23:59 p.m.
Despite the fact that approximately three million Venezuelans abroad have been notified to register, only 112,000 have registered since the process began on June 7.
La Comisión Nacional de Primaria acordó extender el lapso de actualización de datos para venezolanos en el exterior, hasta el domingo 9 de julio a las 11:59 pm.
¡Actívate, actualiza tus datos y comparte esta información, para que otros también puedan participar el 22 de octubre! pic.twitter.com/YNaZkEZi19
— Comisión Nacional de Primaria VE (@cnprimariave) July 3, 2023
The overseas vote is one of the priorities for the Venezuelan far-right opposition, given that these votes may constitute their only hope to win the 2024 presidential election.
For this reason, the National Primary Commission has launched a campaign for expats to register and participate in the internal elections that will elect the opposition’s candidate for the upcoming presidential elections. However, it seems that the campaign has not been received as positively as anticipated.
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Although citizens update their data, this is an alternate and unofficial registry, unlike that of the National Electoral Council (CNE). Therefore, the registration and results for the primary process are entirely separate from any votes that will be cast in the 2024 presidential elections.
The registration of voters abroad has not met expectations, said the president of polling firm Datanálisis, Luis Vicente León. León pointed out that 76% of Venezuelans say they are tired of politics, and that a recent increase in interest in politics is only seen on social media platforms.
A la fecha, 63 mil inscritos o "actualizados" de un total probable de 4,5 millones venezolanos en el exterior en edad y con derecho a votar no es exactamente buen balance. La "primaria" parece "secundaria" para muchos, y el entusiasmo por ella parece circunscrito a algunas redes: https://t.co/tfYRIyMQ7i
— Jesus Chuo Torrealba (@ChuoTorrealba) June 29, 2023
Opposition leader Jesús “Chúo” Torrealba stated that this number of registered voters is not a good outcome for the internal elections. He added, jokingly, that instead of “primaries,” this process could referred to as “secondaries.”
(RedRadioVE) by Ana Perdigón
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SL/BLA
