Venezuela: Election Council Debates Presidential Timetable

Authorities from Venezuela's National Electoral Council, CNE, are debating what timetable to set for this year's presidential election. The campaigning and voting dates, expected to take place during the first quarter of this year, will be scheduled when the special session comes to an end.

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Tania D'Amelio, the CNE's main rector, said an official announcement will be made once the electoral dates are set.

"The National Electoral Council is in a permanent session defining and analyzing all the scenarios that we have at this time of the electoral schedules, so that once the discussion is over we will inform the country of the next presidential election date and its respective timetable,” she said.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, 55, who narrowly won elections in 2013 to replace former President Hugo Chavez, is the favorite to win the presidential vote, due before the end of April.

Posting on Twitter, Maduro said "With the heart of Chavismo, I accept this nomination with love. I know that together we will achieve victory."

On Jan. 26, Maduro had pledged to be "the president of Venezuelan youth and women" after announcing his candidacy for the forthcoming elections.

An announcement of the upcoming presidential election coincides with continued peace negotiations in the Dominican Republic between the Venezuelan government and the country's right-wing opposition. Venezuelan Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez has insisted that the government delegation for dialogue, along with opposition delegates, are ready to finalize an agreement of coexistence on Monday, "which would be good news for all."

Rodriguez pointed out that the behavior of the opposition's leadership in the country has been erratic, as they have contradicted themselves in calls for elections that they later reject, as is now the case with this year's presidential election.