The Electoral Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) of Venezuela admitted an appeal presented by the Chavista deputy José Brito, in which he denounced that he was not allowed to participate in the primaries on October 22 and ordered to suspend “all the effects of the different phases of the electoral process conducted by the National Primary Commission (CNP).”
(Also read: Venezuelan Prosecutor’s Office summons organizers of opposition primaries for Monday)
The decision comes at the same time that the organizers of the primary were summoned to the Prosecutor’s Office, including the president of the CNP, Jesús María Casal, who at 11 in the morning arrived at the organization’s headquarters to meet with the prosecutor Tarek William. Saab.
The TSJ considers that there were irregularities in the process on October 22. According to ruling 122 of the Electoral Chamber that was published on the Supreme Court website, the organizing commission of the opposition elections must record “the administrative background, containing the twenty-five phases of the electoral process” of the primaries, which range from the call to the event to the minutes of scrutiny, totalization and proclamation.
(Also read: Venezuela: Chavismo faces its toughest test to remain in power)
In addition, they must submit to the Supreme Court the minutes of acceptance of the candidacy of the candidates disqualified by the Comptroller’s Office from holding elected positions, as is the case of the winner of the internal elections. María Corina Machado, on whom this administrative measure weighs, imposed in 2015 for a period of one year, but recently extended until 2030.
10:35 am Arrival of the president of the National Primary Commission, @jesusmariacasalto the headquarters of the Public Ministry on Universidad Avenue, in response to the call of this public institution. pic.twitter.com/93zlzNDjS6
— VE National Primary Commission (@cnprimariave) October 30, 2023
Likewise, they must deliver the resignations of the candidates Henrique Capriles and Freddy Superlano – who declined to participate just a couple of weeks before the elections -, also disqualified, as well as those of “any other citizen who has decided to renounce their candidacy.”
Read also: María Corina Machado is proclaimed opposition candidate for the presidency of Venezuela
The TSJ gives the CNP a period of three days to submit “a report” indicating “the mechanism used to safeguard electoral material and the place designated for this purpose.”
Finally, orders to notify the attorney general, Tarek William Saab, and other public powers of this sentence and the facts reported by Brito that – he assured – could constitute “the alleged commission of electoral crimes and the alleged commission of common crimes”, without specifying what type of illegal acts were incurred.
ANA MARÍA RODRÍGUEZ BRAZÓN
TIME CORRESPONDENT
CARACAS
With information from EFE
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