UNIVERSITY DIRECTOR ON ELECTORAL REGISTRY AUDIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 CARACAS 002085

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPT PASS TO AID/OTI RPORTER
COPENHAGEN FOR DLAWTON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2016
TAGS: PGOV KDEM VE
SUBJECT: UNIVERSITY DIRECTOR ON ELECTORAL REGISTRY AUDIT

REF: CARACAS 01719

Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT R. DOWNES FOR REASON 1.4 (D)

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Summary
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1. (C) In a lunch on June 27, Simon Bolivar University
rector Benjamin Sharifker told the Ambassador and PAO that
the three main opposition candidates had asked the three
rectors to reach an accommodation with the National Electoral
Council (CNE) over their participation in a university-led
audit of the electoral registry. The rectors demurred,
citing their serious concerns about the audit's academic and
scientific integrity, given the CNE's requirement for the
audit and its addition of Chavista controlled universities.
However, Sharifker said, if technical people from their
universities wished to participate personally as
representatives of the candidates in the CNE-sanctioned
audit, the rectors would have no objections. We understand
the CNE and opposition candidates have approached some of the
autonomous university experts about participating in the
audit, but this will not constitute an effective independent
review of the registry as demanded by the opposition. End
Summary.

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The Fight for a Meaningful Audit
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2. (C) In a lunch with the Ambassador and PAO on June 27,
Simon Bolivar University (USB) rector Benjamin Sharifker
discussed the recent fight between autonomous universities
USB, Central Venezuelan University (UCV),and the Andres
Bello Catholic University (UCAB),and the National Electoral
Council (CNE) on the methodology for auditing the permanent
electoral registry (REP) (ref a). Sharifker told the
Ambassador that the three rectors had declined to participate
in the CNE-sanctioned audit because of concerns about the
scientific and academic integrity of the study. The main
problem, Sharifker explained, was the CNE's insistence on
controlling access to data from the REP, which undermined the
concept of an independent audit. Also, the universities,
while respecting the CAPEL audit, thought it was incomplete
and that their proposal would have done more to boost voter
confidence in the registry. Sharifker confirmed the
universities would not reverse their decision, despite
pressure from the leading opposition candidates to
reconsider. However, he said the rectors would have no
objections, if technical people from their universities
wished to personally participate in the audit. We understand
that some university experts have been approached by CNE
officials and presidential candidates that were incorporating
representatives to observe the study.


3. (C) During a June 22 conversation with poloff Sharifker
described talks within the technical committee charged with
developing a methodology for the audit as tense. Autonomous
reps were outnumbered by almost two to one by pro-Chavista
members in the committee, which was comprised of 2
representatives from each university and the Venezuelan
Institute of Scientific Investigation. According to reports
Sharifker received, the pro-government universities already

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knew what the parameters of the audit would be and were
clearly uninterested in considering alternative
methodologies. The rector said the CNE never explained its
reasons for not accepting the USB/UCV/UCAB proposal and
merely reiterated the refrain that the CAPEL audit was fine.

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What the Universities Would Have Done
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4. (C) Sharifker explained to poloff that while the CNE
approved an audit that examines the REP for inconsistencies
(ref a),the autonomous universities' proposal would have
taken the 100 voting centers that best tracked with the
outcome of a national election, and examined the voter lists
of each of those centers to determine their accuracy. If
those voter rolls contained few errors, the universities
could conclude that the total number of errors in the REP
would not be enough to skew election results, or vice versa,
if many errors were found. Sharifker said this study had
been done in several countries where political polarization
and voter confidence had been an issue, such as post-Pinochet
Chile, South Africa, Spain (in response to concerns raised by
then-opposition party PSOE),and Nicaragua. The universities
had also proposed comparing the REP to National Institute of
Statistics' population projections to determine if the number
of registered voters reflected the country's current
geographic and age breakdown. This section would have
included a special emphasis on areas near the border with
Colombia where the REP indicates there may be more registered
voters than residents.

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Next Steps
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5. (C) Sharifker told poloff the universities have decided to
proceed independently with their study using data they
unofficially procured from the CNE. He said they will also
hold a forum on the REP in mid-July with statisticians that
have used their audit model elsewhere. Referring to the
opposition's attempts to change the rectors' minds, Sharifker
likened their suggestion to having a choice between being
allowed to enter a stadium but having to keep your eyes
closed during the game, or listening to the game on the radio
at home. "I'd rather be at home," he said.

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Comment
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6. (C) The rectors' experience shows--once again--that the
current CNE is no more transparent than its predecessor. The
CNE-sanctioned audit, even if autonomous university
professors individually participate, is not the same as the
independent review called for by the opposition or
international observers. The CNE's decision to reject such a
targeted audit as the autonomous universities proposed is not
surprising because the CNE does not want to make real changes
that could undermine their ability to politically manipulate
the electoral system. The REP is generally thought to be
flawed, but the extent of such flaws, if demonstrated, could
undermine the legitimacy of recent elections. The

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CNE-approved audit is just another BRV attempt to appear to
be fair and transparent without making any substantive
changes.

BROWNFIELD