Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CARACAS2325
2007-12-11 18:01:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Caracas
Cable title:
CNE UPDATES REFERENDUM RESULTS AND RE-CERTIFIES
how-toVZCZCXRO9453 PP RUEHAO RUEHCD RUEHGA RUEHGD RUEHHA RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHQU RUEHRD RUEHRG RUEHRS RUEHTM RUEHVC DE RUEHCV #2325 3451801 ZNY CCCCC ZZH (CCY AD3BC03A MSI1220-695) P 111801Z DEC 07 ZDS FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0279 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS PRIORITY RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 002325
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
C O R R E C T E D COPY (TEXT IN SUBJECT AND PARA
C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 002325
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
C O R R E C T E D COPY (TEXT IN SUBJECT AND PARA 1)
HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPARTMENT PASS TO AID/OTI (RPORTER)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
SUBJECT: CNE UPDATES REFERENDUM RESULTS AND RE-CERTIFIES
"NO" WIN
REF: CARACAS 002274
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT DOWNES,
REASON 1.4 (D)
1. (U) National Electoral Council (CNE) President Tibisay
Lucena released the "final" results of the December 2
constitutional referendum late on December 7 based on 94 of
the returns. She reiterated that both blocks of proposed
changes to the 1999 Constitution had been defeated. Although
some 200,000 votes remain to be counted, Lucena reiterated
that the "NO" camp's victory is irreversible, just as she
said when the CNE released the preliminary results based on
88 of the returns at 1:19 a.m. on December 3 (Reftel). She
told reporters that the CNE does not expect to have 100 of
the results for weeks.
--------------
Final Results
--------------
2. (U) The CNE reported the following "final" results on
December 7 (figures rounded to the nearest tenth):
Block A: No: 4,521,494 (50.7%)
Yes: 4.404,626 (49.3%)
Block B: No: 4,539,707 (51.0%)
Yes: 4,360,014 (49.0%)
Abstention was 44% and 43.9% for Blocks A and B, respectively.
--------------
Comment
--------------
3. (C) Comment: The "Yes" camp still carried 15 of
Venezuela's 23 states, but the "No" camp carried many of the
most populous states as well as Caracas. In general, the
"No" camp did better in urban areas, while the "Yes" camp
tended to dominate rural areas. The "No" camp did
particularly well in states with at least one major
university, as well as in states in which civil society NGOs
remain active. The "No" camp also tended to do better in
states in which there are still important elected state
(Zulia and Nueva Esparta) and municipal officials from the
opposition.
4. (C) The "No" camp also benefited considerably from the
decision of Chavez' former coalition member Podemos party to
advocate against Chavez' proposed changes to the 1999
constitution. Although, the "Yes" camp narrowly won both
states that have Podemos governors (Aragua and Sucre),
Chavismo experienced its most significant reduction in
percentage of pro-government votes in both those states
compared to the 2006 presidential election (down 19 percent
and 22.6% percent, respectively). Interestingly, Chavez lost
both in overall number of votes and percentage of votes in
all 23 states and Caracas compared to the 2006 election. End
Comment.
FRENCH
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
C O R R E C T E D COPY (TEXT IN SUBJECT AND PARA 1)
HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPARTMENT PASS TO AID/OTI (RPORTER)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
SUBJECT: CNE UPDATES REFERENDUM RESULTS AND RE-CERTIFIES
"NO" WIN
REF: CARACAS 002274
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT DOWNES,
REASON 1.4 (D)
1. (U) National Electoral Council (CNE) President Tibisay
Lucena released the "final" results of the December 2
constitutional referendum late on December 7 based on 94 of
the returns. She reiterated that both blocks of proposed
changes to the 1999 Constitution had been defeated. Although
some 200,000 votes remain to be counted, Lucena reiterated
that the "NO" camp's victory is irreversible, just as she
said when the CNE released the preliminary results based on
88 of the returns at 1:19 a.m. on December 3 (Reftel). She
told reporters that the CNE does not expect to have 100 of
the results for weeks.
--------------
Final Results
--------------
2. (U) The CNE reported the following "final" results on
December 7 (figures rounded to the nearest tenth):
Block A: No: 4,521,494 (50.7%)
Yes: 4.404,626 (49.3%)
Block B: No: 4,539,707 (51.0%)
Yes: 4,360,014 (49.0%)
Abstention was 44% and 43.9% for Blocks A and B, respectively.
--------------
Comment
--------------
3. (C) Comment: The "Yes" camp still carried 15 of
Venezuela's 23 states, but the "No" camp carried many of the
most populous states as well as Caracas. In general, the
"No" camp did better in urban areas, while the "Yes" camp
tended to dominate rural areas. The "No" camp did
particularly well in states with at least one major
university, as well as in states in which civil society NGOs
remain active. The "No" camp also tended to do better in
states in which there are still important elected state
(Zulia and Nueva Esparta) and municipal officials from the
opposition.
4. (C) The "No" camp also benefited considerably from the
decision of Chavez' former coalition member Podemos party to
advocate against Chavez' proposed changes to the 1999
constitution. Although, the "Yes" camp narrowly won both
states that have Podemos governors (Aragua and Sucre),
Chavismo experienced its most significant reduction in
percentage of pro-government votes in both those states
compared to the 2006 presidential election (down 19 percent
and 22.6% percent, respectively). Interestingly, Chavez lost
both in overall number of votes and percentage of votes in
all 23 states and Caracas compared to the 2006 election. End
Comment.
FRENCH