Venezuela.. Praise Colin Powell's Statements on Signature Repair

A second article follows the first on how things are proceeding so far.
I ask that , if anyone is interested , keep your eyes open for any latest breaking news from Venezuela and post it here. I have heard of rumors of potential opposition violence in several articles now.

Venezuela Officials Praise Colin Powell's Statements on Signature Repair for Recall
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=1283

Venezuelan officials reacted favorably to US Secretary of State Colin Powell's statements regarding the process of ratification of signatures currently under way for a possible recall referendum on President Hugo Chavez.

Vice-president Jose Vicente Rangel said that Powell "gave in important step in foreign policy by rectifying that his country will not interfere in the internal affairs of Venezuela, in contrast with statements by the Sub-Secretary of Latin American Affairs, Roger Noriega."

During a briefing on U.S. foreign policy yesterday, Powell said "the process begins today, the reparo process, as it is known, where people will be able to verify their signatures. There was some question about a large number of signatures. And they will be able, over the next several days, to go to places where they can verify the data associated with their signature and their signature. And I hope that that will happen in an open, free, fair way with no interference on the part of anyone."

The US official added that "when that process has been finished and the electoral authorities in Venezuela make a judgment as to the validity of the votes, how many additional, not votes, but signatures, for the documents are valid, that will point in one of two directions. Either it will point to there being sufficient number of signatures for a recall referendum, or there are not sufficient numbers of signatures. It is now up to the Venezuelan people. The United States just hopes that the Government of Venezuela will allow this process to move forward in accordance with its own constitutional principles. We are not interfering in it. All we want to do is make sure that the people of Venezuela are not denied the opportunity to exercise their rights under their own constitution."

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The signature re-verification process enters its second day today amid rumors of possible violence from sectors of the opposition. The Bloque Democratico opposition coalition issued a statement calling for “civil disobedience” if the recall is not convoked.

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Venezuela Recall Signature Verification Pleases Observers in First Day
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=1282

The first day of the signature verification process for a possible recall referendum on President Hugo Chavez’s mandate ended successfully, wining the praise of international observers.

Since today, until Sunday, May 30, Venezuelans who signed to demand a recall referendum on the President, and whose signatures present irregularities, may come forward and “repair” them, thus confirming that they indeed intended to sign. Likewise, those who may have signed under pressure from employers, or who erroneously appear as signers, may also come forward and nullify their signatures. 1,192,914 signatures are subject to repair. The oppsition needs to revalidate at least 600,000 signatures in order to trigger the recall.

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“The process in general is advancing in a satisfactory manner, with minimal inconveniences,” said the Secretary General of the OAS, Cesar Gaviria, who arrived today to take over the OAS mission that is overseen the referenda process.

After meeting with Venezuelan Vice-President Jose Vicente Rangel, Gaviria said that almost all of the centers setup for the signature repair process are working without any obstacles.

Very little activity was observed around the signature repair centers during this first day. Centers located in some locations in middle and upper-class sections of Caracas, experienced the greatest numbers of people participating. However, opposition leaders claimed to be pleased with the number of signatures repaired during the first day, and expressed confidence in achieving their goal.

Oh, and did I mention that I don't believe a word out of his lying mouth?

http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=21376
Venezuelan Opposition seeks signatures to oust democratically-elected President

International monitors and some 45,000 Venezuelan soldiers and law enforcement officers have already moved to open more than 2,600 locales across the nation from 6:00 a.m. this morning to allow the opposition to try to ratify at least 530,000 disputed signatures.

* Validated signers will also be able to withdraw their signatures if they claim they were in any way coerced into signing during the original anti-government campaign.

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Validation of signatures for presidential referendum begins today
http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2004/mayo/vier28/23ref.html

Lastly, it was confirmed that tomorrow(Saturday), former U.S. President James Carter and César Gaviria, OAS general secretary, will arrive in Venezuela to observe the final stage of the process with delegations from their respective agencies currently involved in that task.

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Venezuela starts signature check that could lead to Chavez recall vote
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/87424/1/.html

Jimmy Carter, the former US president, and OAS Secretary General Cesar Gaviria are due in Venezuela for the observer mission.

"As we have told the Carter Center and the OAS we are not going to allow them to make any projections before the CNE. If they do we would be forced to take drastic measures," said CNE director Francisco Carrasquero.

"Neither the OAS nor the Carter Center can make any kind of announcement, before or after."

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Venezuela Starts Checking Recall Petition
Associated Press
http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/news/world/8786762.htm

Venezuelans began a three-day process Friday to determine whether President Hugo Chavez should face a recall vote before the next presidential elections in 2006.

With 45,000 soldiers deployed nationwide to provide security, thousands of Venezuelans visited 2,500 polling stations to add to, confirm or withdraw their signatures from a recall petition delivered by Chavez's opposition in December.

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Willian Lara, a prominent ruling party lawmaker, predicted at least 285,000 voters will delete their signatures during the three-day drive.

Thousands nearing a final choice on Chávez
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/8789910.htm?1c

Most of the signatures challenged involved sheets in which Venezuelans signed their names and volunteers filled in their identification data. The Electoral Council challenged them even though observers were at the sign-up centers.

Yes there were observers at the sign-up centers but the opposition also took the forms from house to house which was sagainst the rules. Some of them were even accompanied by observers then but not all and it was still against the rules.

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Vice President José Vicente Rangel praised Powell's remarks Friday as ''an important step.'' Rangel also denied a Herald report Friday that the government is part owner of a software company contracted to deliver electronic voting machines that will be used in future elections, perhaps including the referendum on Chávez.

''Whatever appeared in The Miami Herald, I deny it completely,'' Rangel said at a press briefing when asked about the report.

Not disinfo but certainly atrip to bizarro land. So Rangel is questioning a right wing paper and electronic voting all in one go!!
Oops I misread that. He isn;t questioning the voting software. Still interesting. And it appears the Herald has removed or edited the story in question because I can't find it.
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Chávez, who was reelected to a six-year term in 2000, has said that if the opposition succeeds in its recall effort, he would take the matter to the Supreme Court.

Huh?
Venezuelan President Welcomes Recall Referendum
http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?objectID=10D21394-A1AD-4F7B-B55B473DACEC36E7
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said that he would welcome a recall referendum his opponents are trying to organize.

President Chavez made his comment in an editorial published Wednesday in The Washington Post newspaper.

Mr. Chavez added that he hopes his opponents gather enough signatures to trigger a referendum, because he relishes the opportunity to once again win what he called the people's mandate.

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Chavez opponents get last chance to force referendum
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=526003
Objections by the OAS and Carter Centre observer missions, as well as the US government, to both these decisions by the CNE have led to furious reactions by both the electoral authority and the government itself.
True, however those differences have been resolved and all parties (except the opposition) support this process now

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The question is whether Mr. Chavez will be one of the issues.

There are a number of members of the legislature certified for
recall, mostly opposition, and a story I read a day or two ago
said that the potential was for a slightly larger majority for
the ruling party.

A link for others, who may have missed it.

Recall Referenda against Nine Venezuelan Opposition Legislators
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=1279

Caracas, May 25, 2004—According to anonymous Electoral Council sources, reported in the Venezuelan daily Últimas Noticias, nine opposition legislators will have to face recall referenda, following the certification of signatures in one pro-government and 13 opposition petitions for convoking recall referenda. This means that of the 36 petitions submitted by government supporters to revoke opposition legislators’ mandates, nine succeeded. Of the 30 petitions the opposition submitted to revoke pro-government lawmakers, none ultimately succeeded.

One can either think that it was rigged, or that perhaps
Mr. Chavez' program is not losing support after all.

process.

You are right though. You can look at it either way, but the process was the same for both sides. And the pro-oppostion side isn't complaining too loudly that I can see.

From the same article:

OAS representative, issued a statement yesterday, in which they said, “the sessions for repairing the signatures for referenda against 13 pro-government and one opposition legislator took place in a calm and peaceful atmosphere, without incidents that would affect the process.” They also congratulated all participants for the successful completion of this part of the process.

OK My typos are growing by leaps and bounds. Out to the sunshine for a bit.

about the OAS guy, claimed he was biased because he said everything
was on the up and up. Just goes to show that people believe what
they want to, and the facts be damned. They demand Jimmy and the OAS
until they come up with the wrong result and then all of a sudden
they are "biased".