Venezuelan Official Claims No Transparency in Maduro’s Reelection Process

A Venezuelan electoral official has raised serious concerns over the transparency and accuracy of the recent election results, which declared President Nicolás Maduro the winner. Juan Carlos Delpino, a member of the National Electoral Council (CNE), has criticized the electoral process, calling attention to various irregularities that cast doubt on the validity of the declared outcomes.

Delpino, the only member of the CNE to challenge Maduro’s government before the elections, shared his concerns in a letter circulated on social media. In it, he spoke of significant delays in reporting results from polling centers, attributing this to problems in the automated voting system. He alleged that many opposition volunteers were barred from monitoring the electoral process, violating the established regulations that mandate transparency in reporting.

The electoral official claimed he was informed the delays were due to a supposed hacking of the CNE’s reporting system, with only 58% of results collected in a timely manner. In response to this situation, Delpino refused to participate in the vote-counting process or to attend the press conference where CNE President Elvis Amoroso declared Maduro the victor.

In his letter, Delpino expressed regret that the election results do not benefit the Venezuelan population or contribute to resolving their conflicts. He said these results only serve to deepen the skepticism held by the majority of Venezuelans and the international community regarding the integrity of the electoral process.

As Maduro clings to his assertion of winning reelection by over one million votes, his government has ignored calls from various countries, including the U.S. and members of the European Union, to release the underlying voting records. This demand for transparency has also come from leftist allies in Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico.

In contrast to the government’s claims, the Venezuelan opposition has released what they assert are genuine tallies from 80% of polling machines. These results purportedly show Edmundo González, the opposition candidate, winning by a margin exceeding two-to-one.

Recent actions by the Venezuelan Supreme Court have further complicated the situation. The court validated the government’s declared results, asserting that the opposition’s tallies were fabricated. Under Attorney General Tarek William Saab’s directive, González has been summoned to testify in a criminal investigation over alleged attempts to incite panic by contesting the election results.

Despite the legal pressure, González has stated his refusal to comply with the Attorney General’s order. He criticized the attack on his due process rights and emphasized that his only accountability lies with the voters. In a recent address, he urged Maduro to release the voting records from approximately 30,000 electoral machines nationwide to allow for independent verification by international observers.

In a poignant message aimed at Maduro, González noted that Venezuela is experiencing significant uncertainty due to the government’s refusal to acknowledge the population’s desire for change. He insisted that releasing the voting acts is essential for restoring peace and stability in the country.

Following the election, both González and his prominent supporter, María Corina Machado, went into hiding as security forces undertook a mass crackdown on protests. Over 2,000 demonstrators were arrested amid growing dissent against the election outcomes.

The duo is now calling for public demonstrations to commemorate the perceived victory on the one-month anniversary of the election.

Delpino also revealed in an interview that he has gone into hiding due to security concerns following his public denunciations. He criticized the CNE for its lack of meetings leading up to the election, which he believes hindered the establishment of clear rules regarding the involvement of campaign workers, international monitors, and Venezuelans living abroad.

This current situation in Venezuela reflects a broader struggle for electoral integrity and democracy in the country, as both opposition members and electoral officials demand greater accountability and transparency in the electoral process.

Source: AP