By Andreina Itriago Acosta, Bloomberg News

CARACAS
EnergiesNet.com 02 18 2022

The European electoral observation mission to Venezuela will present its final report remotely, opting not return to the country after tensions with President Nicolas Maduro spilled over last year. 

The European Union observers, who fanned out across the country for the Nov. 21 regional elections, said in a statement released Thursday that they will hold a virtual presentation of their findings on Feb. 22. That’s a u-turn from what the mission’s head, Isabel Santos, had said in November, when she pledged to bring the report to the country in person by late January or early February. 

Representatives for the mission did not respond to questions about the change. The government’s Communications Ministry did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

Tensions with the government arose in the run-up to the elections when Maduro called the observers “spies.” The team was then kicked out of the country days before they were scheduled to depart. The mission chose to not return to the country to avoid rekindling tensions, according to a European diplomat with direct knowledge of the process. 

In its preliminary report, the mission said the elections were better organized than previous votes but found “structural deficiencies” that made elections hard on the ground for opposition parties, including sanctions in years past by the judicial system, outright bans of some candidates, and the government’s use of state resources for campaigning, including its control over TV and radio coverage.

The final report comes as political negotiations between the Venezuela’s government and opposition are stalled. The government pulled out last year after a Maduro ally, Alex Saab, was extradited to the U.S. to face federal charges. Those discussion are supposed to set terms for future elections — a vote for president is scheduled in 2024 — including the issue of international monitors.

bloomberg.com 02 17 2022