The head of the European Union observation mission, Isabel Santos, acknowledged that the November 21 elections had better conditions than in previous years. | Photo: EFE
Caracas, November 23 (RHC)-- The head of the European Union (EU) electoral mission in the regional and municipal elections in Venezuela, Isabel Santos, presented on Tuesday a preliminary report on the actions of observers in Sunday's elections.
"The preliminary report that we present today cannot be the object of political instrumentation," said Santos, while assuring that the document is a technical approach to the electoral moment lived. And a tool to improve future electoral processes.
The head of the mission indicated that she would fight against the attempt to interpret the data in favor of partisan interests with which, she said, "they have nothing to do."
Since October 14, the EU mission has deployed 136 observers from 22 member states of the European Union, Norway and Switzerland. The official specified that the members of the delegation were in the 22 Venezuelan states and the capital district, in the 605 voting centers with more than 1,318 polling stations.
"The scope of the mission has allowed us to have a complete vision of this electoral process", she said. He also argued that these elections were an important test for the return of most of the opposition parties, as a result of the dialogue process between the Government of President Nicolás Maduro and the oppositions.
Santos acknowledged that the elections were implemented with better conditions compared to previous years. She commented that the National Electoral Commission has been the "most balanced electoral administration Venezuela has had in the last 20 years." She also indicated that the technical components were better and the electoral preparations were efficient.
In view of the speculations launched in the last days about the mission, the chief observer of the EU clarified that her mission is "independent, neutral and impartial," in accordance with the Declaration of Principles on International Electoral Observation, signed in 2005 by the multilateral bloc.
In this sense, she emphasized that the missions should not interfere in electoral processes and should maintain political impartiality. "The electoral observation missions are not an instrument of interference in the internal life of the countries", she stressed, while saying that only Venezuelan men and women can decide the future of their country in a process of electoral political dialogue.
Santos announced that this report has preliminary data, since they are only in a position to comment on the observations made so far and critical stages remain, such as the scrutiny and possible requests for challenges.
She also announced that they will return at the end of January or beginning of February to publish the complete report and thanked the NEC for their professionalism in receiving it.
