Venezuela – Cuba period decided

The electoral system of each country is unique. It corresponds to the reality of its history and its characteristics. Therefore, there are no badges, but rather the sovereignty of each country must be respected. The electoral system is part of the democratic development of each society, which is embodied in the political agreement contained in the constitutional and legal framework. These rules are the product of the political association of a society at a given time. Under these rules, and by prior agreement, the international community carries out election observation or technical support missions that contribute with proposals on good practices and best electoral standards proposed to electoral bodies, to be disseminated according to their circumstances.

International electoral observation is defined by principles adopted in various UN resolutions (United Nations Organization), but their implementation is not uniform; nor is their implementation widespread. Many countries that boast greater political and economic power refuse to implement this figure, and do not include it in their legislation, although they also face electoral shortcomings. Sometimes, dominant states use observation missions as a tool of political pressure to intrude in order to “certify” or “validate” the results of elections, which constitutes a violation of the sovereignty of other states.

In Venezuela, the “Organic Law of Electoral Processes” (available online) regulates the procedures to be followed during the electoral process. As for the audit and management of the minutes, no official publication has been established. Based on these rules, and the Barbados Political Agreement on Political Rights and Electoral Guarantees (available online), mediated by the Kingdom of Norway, the opposition decided on and accepted the rules for this electoral process.

Among the electoral safeguards are 17 comprehensive audits in which all competing parties rely on trusted professional auditors, technicians/statisticians with strong computer or computing knowledge in SQL, statistical analysis, biometrics, .Net Framework 4.0, XML, and JSON; many of whom have experience from previous electoral operations. Among the audits are: voting machine software, configuration files, vote collection software, machine hardware, machine production, electoral infrastructure, machine dispatch, zeroing at the collection centers, communication platform for transmitting results, citizen identification registration, electoral register, including biometric data, fingerprints and voter photographs, electoral books (table records) and selection of table members.

The process is managed by the members of the table who are carefully selected through a rigorous drawing of lots. Party witnesses (guards) are present and attentive. Finally, willing voters can also be present during the counting process, with the only limitation being the physical space of the classroom; and it is open to national or international observers.

When entering the “Voting Horse” each citizen is verified by checking his document, fingerprints and photo. When voting at the machine, you check that your electronic vote matches the actual receipt (as in any ATM transaction), and then deposit it accordingly into the ballot box; his signature and fingerprint are recorded in the special register.

The electronic system includes ensuring a comprehensive audit. site 54% of the 30,026 voting machine minutes, compared to the physical receipts generated by the machine, which were deposited and strictly guarded during the day. For his part, each witness requests and receives a copy of the minutes with the votes recorded and the signatures of the officials.

In short, it is the citizen character, 100% automated, with comprehensive audits, that confirms the quality and transparency of this electoral process, considered one of the best in America. Among the proposed reforms is the proposal to institutionally and obligatorily publish the audit minutes. The complexities are ideological, media and above all political, and will only be resolved through a genuine process of sovereign dialogue among Venezuelans until peace is achieved.

Taken from Telesur