Greens’ Elections Observer in Venezuela Impressed by “Advanced,” “Fair and Democratic” Process

Report from Green Party of the United States National Co-Chair Ahmed Eltouny as the Green Party’s onsite observer at the November 21 Venezuelan elections

Green Party of the United States
www.gp.org

For Immediate Release:
Monday, November 22, 2021

Contact:

Michael O’Neil, Communications Manager, [email protected], 202-804-2758
Diana C. Brown, Co-chair, Media Committee, [email protected], 202-804-2758
Philena Farley, Co-chair, Media Committee, [email protected], 202-804-2758

CARACAS, VENEZUELA — Reporting from Venezuela as an on-site elections observer in Caracas, Green Party of the United States National Co-Chair Ahmed Eltouny has attested to a technologically impressive and rigorously secure exercise in democracy. Eltouny, in addition to observers from the European Union (EU), was present during regional elections for state governors, mayors and city councils, which were conducted nationwide.

The Maduro Government invited international observers from throughout the world to witness how Venezuelan elections are conducted. The EU has fielded observers in Venezuela since the end of October to observe the process leading up to and including the actual voting. EU observers visited polling sites in advance of the elections.

Eltouny agrees with former President Jimmy Carter’s praise for the advanced technical features of Venezuela’s voting process, including:

a fingerprint identification scan to help minimize fraud
immediately after casting their ballot via voting machine, voters receive a paper receipt, which they then deposit in a secure box at the polling station
after a polling station closes, the paper receipts are then hand-counted in a process that is open to the public to observe
this hand count must match exactly to the machine-counted vote

“There’s really very, very small risk in terms of any kind of foul play in these elections and I am very impressed with what I have seen so far,” said Eltouny, who observed the voting process at three different polling sites. “Despite the massive sanctions that Venezuela must deal with, it is amazing that they are able to utilize advanced technologies and anti-fraud measures that we can’t come close to in the U.S.”

“This is not how the Peruvian right wing puts it, nor how the right wing across America and around the world puts it, that there must be a dictatorship,” said Congressional representative Alex Flores Ramirez of the Peru Libre Party in Peru, speaking to Eltouny. “On the contrary, there are elections, free and democratic ones. And today is just an example, I saw it in person; and I can verify that the Venezuelans are going to exercise their rights voluntarily to choose the leaders of their authorities in this electoral process.” (Translation provided by Matthew Skolar of The Venezulean Solidarity Project)

Many are hopeful that if this fair and democratic process is observed and reported by hundreds of international observers, it could lead to some pressure being put on the U.S. government to open up diplomatic discussions with Venezuela, toward the goal of lifting the oppressive sanctions put on the Venezuelan people.

Eltouny’s presence as an election observer in Caracas is an initiative of the Venezuelan Solidarity Project of the Green Party’s International Committee. The trip was made possible with additional support from the Maine Green Independent Party, and many individual donors. The Green Party does not accept corporate contributions.

VIDEO AND PHOTOS (credit: Ahmed Eltouny, Green Party of the United States)

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