Belizian Observers To Engage In Venezuelan Elections

Invited by the National Electoral Council (CNE), five Belizean electoral experts arrived in Venezuela on Tuesday to participate in the Nov. 21 subnational elections as international observers.

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The delegation is made up of Belize’s Election Office Secretary Conrad Lewis, the Public Administration Ministry Secretary Michelle Rodriguez, Election Office Technician Orlando Espat, Elections Office Director Oscar Alonzo, and the People’s Front Party leader Erva Jean.

"We do not want to give a biased opinion of the electoral process. Therefore, we will attend several polling stations to evaluate its development," Alonzo stated and thanked the CNE for having invited them.

Other 150 electoral experts from the European Union (EU), the Carter Center, the Latin American Council of Electoral Experts (CEELA), Tunisia, Benin, Indonesia, and Russia will also participate in the upcoming elections as international observers.

All electoral experts must respect the international oversight rules provided in the Venezuelan legislation and this Latin American country’s sovereignty and self-determination. Otherwise, the CNE will consider their attitude an intromission in Venezuelan internal affairs.

"Our observers will be present in 22 of Venezuela's 23 states, where they will fulfill an impartial, neutral, and independent agenda," the MOE-UE Director Isabel Santos assured.

In these elections, over 21 million de citizens will cast their votes to elect 23 governors, 253 state legislators, 335 mayors, and 2,471 councilors. For the first time since 2017, opposition political organizations stopped boycotting electoral processes and presented 66,000 candidates.

“We are convinced that these elections will leave great lessons of stability and unity for Venezuela," President Nicolas Maduro stressed and urged all candidates to continue competing for power in a democratic manner.