These votes were held with the return of the main opposition parties after refusing to participate in the 2018 elections.
“They were spies at our meetings.” The powerful Chavista leader Diosdado Cabello, first vice president of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), launched strong accusations on Wednesday against the European Union (EU) observation mission of Sunday’s regional elections.
Cabello, considered the number two of Chavismo, reacted to the mission’s report that reflected irregularities in the elections for governors and mayors on Sunday, as well as “better conditions” with respect to previous elections.
“Spies, come here to spy on the revolutionary process, Mrs. Isabel (Santos), you failed, as the empire where you come failed, the Indians from here gave you a lesson, imperialist lady and take your report wherever you want”, exclaimed the leader during his weekly television program.
On Tuesday, the head of the EU electoral mission, Isabel Santos, said that despite the “better conditions”, including the appointment of new electoral authorities, the campaign “was marked by the extensive use of state resources ”For the support of candidates, without there being“ sanctions for violations ”.
In addition, the European diplomat pointed out that the observers were “witnesses to the establishment of illegal checkpoints”, called “red spots”, by the ruling party in the vicinity of the voting centers.
“That report was made from day one,” said Cabello, critical of the EU mission’s visit, after decades of absence, as the authorities invited only countries or organizations related to Chavismo.
Santos also lamented the death of a voter in a voting center in the western state of Zulia, in a fact that according to the Venezuelan authorities was “isolated” from the election.
These votes were held with the return of the main opposition parties after refusing to participate in the 2018 elections, in which President Nicolás Maduro was reelected, and those of 2020, in which Chavismo regained control of Parliament, for consider them “fraudulent”.
But the opposition participated divided, and agreements on unitary candidacies were not reached, except in a few regions, thus leaving the way clear for the PSUV to win a landslide victory, winning at least 19 of the 23 governorships.
Santos announced that he will return to Venezuela “at the end of January, beginning of February,” to present the final report. (I)
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