Venezuela Delegates to Constituent Assembly Receive Credentials

Venezuela's National Electoral Board began handing out credentials to the constituents who were elected on July 30 to the National Constituent Assembly.

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The accreditations were being given out to the constituents representing the entire country ahead of the inauguration of the ANC on Aug. 3 — the same day the 1999 Constituent Assembly was inaugurated.

Some 364 members will be territorial representatives, one member for each of Venezuela's municipality, two for each one that is a state capital, and seven for Libertador municipality of central Caracas.

Sectorial delegates, 181 in total, include eight deputies from Indigenous communities who were elected through popular assemblies on Aug. 1, according to their traditions and ancestral culture.

Eight are campesinos and fishermen, five business people, five disabled members, 24 students, 28 pensioners, 24 Communal Councils members, and 79 workers in public administration, services, social areas, commerce, self-employed, industry, construction, transportation, and the oil industry.

In total, the ANC is made up of 545 members who are tasked with re-writing the Venezuelan Constitution, originally convened by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as a means to bring peace and dialogue to the country and extend the social rights established by the current constitution.

"We have an immense task after the National Constituent Assembly is seated ... to implement justice by seeking peace," said Maria Alejandra Diaz, a constituent elected by the popular-independent economic sector.

More than eight million Venezuelans chose their representatives from some 6,120 candidates in Sunday's election, which international experts and observers said was transparent, without major incidents and should be respected.