An international observer from the Philippines to Venezuela’s National Constituent Assembly said in his report the voting process was “very convincing,” showing integrity in the electoral process.
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“It was a deeply inspiring experience to see the militant determination of the Venezuelan people exercise their right to vote and make democracy a concrete reality,” said Luis Jalandoni, Senior Adviser to the Negotiating Panel of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines.
Jalandoni noted in his report the massive participation in the elections as over eight million people voted, a turnout of about 41 percent.
“This commitment of the Venezuelan people and their fight for democracy and peace should be shared with peoples in other countries,” he said.
Jalandoni and his partner Asterio Palimas were invited to Venezuela as international observers to the ANC held July 30.
According to Jalandoni, the international observers were divided into three groups and the group he was assigned to first visited the electoral center with about 4,500 registered voters on election day.
“The officers of the Consejo Nacional Electoral (National Electoral Council) welcomed us and explained and demonstrated in detail how the process of voting is taking place,” Jalandoni said in his report. “It was very impressive.”
Jalandoni said they visited several other electoral centers and were allowed to see every step in the process of voting, from when voters presented their registration card to when they provided their signature to when they voted, folding up their secret ballot and dropped it into the box. They were also allowed to mix with the voters and dialogue with them.
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At the Centro Enero 25 voting area, said to the voters, “In the Philippines, the Filipino people also struggle against U.S. imperialism and local puppets for genuine independence, sovereignty and national and social liberation.”
On Wednesday, the company that has provided voting services for the Venezuelan elections since 2004 said that the government's numbers overestimated the total tally in Sunday's poll.
“We estimate the difference between the actual participation and the one announced by authorities is at least one million votes,” Smartmatic CEO Antonio Mugica told a news conference in London.
In response, Venezuela’s CNE President Tibisay Lucena said the allegation had “no basis," adding, "It is an irresponsible assertion based on estimates without any basis in the data that is exclusively managed by the electoral authority. But even more serious, Smartmatic participated in all (pre-election) audits," Lucena said.
"This election cannot be stained by anyone, because it was a transparent vote, audited before, during and after the ballots were cast," President Nicolas Maduro told a televised gathering of supporters.