Electoral Council board member Jorge Rodriguez declared during a press conference today that he absolutely rejects the statements that the U.S. Sub-Secretary for Inter-American Affairs, Roger Noriega, made in today’s Washington Times.
Rodriguez said that Noriega, as an official of the U.S. government, is interfering in Venezuelan internal affairs.
...“Mr. Norienga suggests that in an arbitrary decision the Electoral Council decided that over 800,000 signatures were rejected and that this decision was questioned by the OAS and the Carter Center,” said Rodriguez. “The Electoral Council did not do anything other than comply with the established recall referendum norms and on the basis of these norms we are about to complete the process via the repair process.”
...“Curiously, in the country from which Noriega comes the government was elected in an election in which over 500,000 votes were eliminated because they did not comply with some rules that the electoral authorities of the U.S. had established. They did not take these votes to a repair process, nor did they consider the possibility that someone might challenge this decision. 500,000 votes, not signatures, were rejected and it was on the basis of this procedure that Mr. Bush was elected president of the U.S.”
..“Independently if whether we are with the opposition or of sectors close to the government, this is a Venezuelan concern and the public powers are of all Venezuelans. Venezuelans do not interfere in internal concerns of other countries and even less so in their electoral system. I have a personal opinion about the electoral system and the distribution of powers in the U.S., but I do not get involved in these because I respect them. We demand the same respect from all actors who are trying to involve themselves in affairs that concern only us.”
Roger Noriega also commented that “if the recall referendum against President Chavez is not convoked, Washington will not remain with crossed arms,” adding, “We will use what multilateral levers we have.”
Rodriguez said that Noriega, as an official of the U.S. government, is interfering in Venezuelan internal affairs.
...“Mr. Norienga suggests that in an arbitrary decision the Electoral Council decided that over 800,000 signatures were rejected and that this decision was questioned by the OAS and the Carter Center,” said Rodriguez. “The Electoral Council did not do anything other than comply with the established recall referendum norms and on the basis of these norms we are about to complete the process via the repair process.”
...“Curiously, in the country from which Noriega comes the government was elected in an election in which over 500,000 votes were eliminated because they did not comply with some rules that the electoral authorities of the U.S. had established. They did not take these votes to a repair process, nor did they consider the possibility that someone might challenge this decision. 500,000 votes, not signatures, were rejected and it was on the basis of this procedure that Mr. Bush was elected president of the U.S.”
..“Independently if whether we are with the opposition or of sectors close to the government, this is a Venezuelan concern and the public powers are of all Venezuelans. Venezuelans do not interfere in internal concerns of other countries and even less so in their electoral system. I have a personal opinion about the electoral system and the distribution of powers in the U.S., but I do not get involved in these because I respect them. We demand the same respect from all actors who are trying to involve themselves in affairs that concern only us.”
Roger Noriega also commented that “if the recall referendum against President Chavez is not convoked, Washington will not remain with crossed arms,” adding, “We will use what multilateral levers we have.”
Oh we will, will we? And what might they be? Could Mr. Chávez be right about U.S.-Colombian military collaboration?
Our interference in this process is absolutely indefensible.
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