VENEZUELAN ELECTIONS WRAP UP: OBSERVERS ENDORSE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CARACAS 003571

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SUBJECT: VENEZUELAN ELECTIONS WRAP UP: OBSERVERS ENDORSE
RESULTS

REF: A. CARACAS 03477


B. CARACAS 03531

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

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Summary
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1. (C) The OAS, EU, and domestic NGO Ojo Electoral
observation missions released on December 4 and 5 their
preliminary assessments of the presidential election. All
congratulated the National Electoral Council (CNE) for
providing adequate electoral conditions and abiding by its
agreements, despite their private battles with the board to
ensure that it did so. The EU expressed absolute confidence
in the integrity of the electronic voting system, although
the observation mission's deputy privately admitted the
mission lacked the time, experts, and access needed for a
full assessment. All three groups criticized various
election irregularities, such as BRV intimidation of voters,
particularly public employees, illegal use of government
funds for the campaign, and the futility of the fingerprint
(digital scanning) machines. Chavez was reportedly upset
about the contents of the EU report and unsuccessfully tried
to pressure the EU to soften it. Vice Foreign Minister
Valero made similar unsuccessful approaches to the OAS
mission. However, thus far neither the BRV nor opposition
has reacted critically to any of the reports. Final reports
are expected in early 2007. End Summary.

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OAS
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2. (SBU) In his press conference, OAS electoral observation
mission (EOM) leader Juan Enrique Fischer congratulated
President Chavez on his victory and opposition challenger
Manuel Rosales for his "civic behavior" and "determination to
strengthen democracy in Venezuela." Fischer said the
National Electoral Council (CNE) delivered on all the points
of its agreement with the OAS, including ensuring the
necessary participation of party representatives and
observers in all phases of the electoral process.


3. (SBU) The EOM also released a separate, somewhat tougher
statement December 4 pointing out some irregularities, such
as the fingerprint machines, which it said slowed voting
considerably and failed in their objective to catch people
voting twice. The EOM also noted the inconsistency in voting
center closing hours, which complicated and, in some cases,
prohibited voting. Its general assessment was that these
irregularities, while significant, did not change the outcome
of the election, which was generally consistent with the OAS'
quick count. Unlike the EU, the OAS EOM did not release an
official preliminary report, but according to EOM members,
will submit one to the OAS Permanent Council around December

13.

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EU
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4. (C) Despite arriving only two weeks before election day
and having limited technical expertise and access to audits,
the EU EOM announced its full confidence in the integrity of
the electronic voting system and its ability to guarantee the
secrecy of the vote. While Deputy EOM leader Tom Boserup
privately admitted to PolCouns the statement should probably
have been caveated, he thought an unequivocal statement was
important to inspire voter confidence in future elections.
The mission was very critical of government attempts to
intimidate civil servants into participating in President
Chavez' campaign events and voting for him. They
specifically cited Energy and Mines Minister and PDVSA
President Rafael Ramirez' taped speech to PDVSA employees,
which they said violated Venezuelan law and international
treaties to which the country is party.


5. (C) Like the OAS, the EU also noted the fingerprint
(digital scanning) machines' ineffectiveness in preventing
double voting, their occasional tendency to unnecessarily
delay the process, and the high degree of voter distrust they
engendered. While praising the CNE for its management of the
elections, EU EOM leader Monica Frassoni criticized the board

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for being slow to sanction campaign norm violations, such as
the illegal use of government funds for the campaign and the
lack of balanced media coverage. Boserup and British
Ambassador Lamont privately told us that EOM leader Frassoni
had been summoned to President Chavez, office before the
press conference and informed him of what the report would
say. Chavez was apparently displeased, but unlike last year
when the BRV unsuccessfully pressured the EU to cancel its
press conference, Chavez said he wouldn't cause any problems.
We understand from OAS EOM members that Vice Foreign
Minister for North American and Multilateral Affairs Jorge
Valero also made unsuccessful attempts to have the OAS soften
its December 4 announcement.

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Ojo Electoral
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6. (SBU) Domestic NGO Ojo Electoral, which publicly received
kudos from the EU for its work, singled out many of the same
issues as its international counterparts in its preliminary
report released via press conference December 4 at CNE
headquarters. Ojo's report also included the results of its
quick count and the audits of the voting receipts that it
observed, both of which were close to the actual result. Ojo
said political party witnesses were present in roughly 90
percent of the centers its observers visited. The NGO called
on the CNE to quickly investigate complaints about Plan
Republica members' interference in the voting process.
Surprisingly the preliminary report does not mention the
problems Ojo had in obtaining credentials for its observers
(Ref A),nor the CNE's momentary reneging on its promise to
allow them access to the totalization room (Ref B).

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Comment
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7. (C) The observers arguably praised the CNE a little too
much, given its pro-government bias and successful hobbling
of effective observation efforts, but they also did not pull
their punches on key electoral issues, such as BRV
intimidation and fingerprint machines. They arrived too
late, and in the OAS' case, with too few members to conduct a
fully effective electoral observation mission. So far
neither Chavez nor the opposition has responded to the
preliminary readouts, but each can find something to play to
their advantage. Unfortunately, the BRV has no incentive to
implement any recommendations -- after all, the BRV got away
with ignoring the 2005 recommendations. Post will report
separately on comparisons between last year's observer
recommendations and the focus of this year's missions.

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