'Zero error' in Venezuelan poll results

[Judi Lynn]

'Zero error' in Venezuelan poll results
Friday 17 May 2013

Venezuela's independent National Electoral Council has found "zero error" in presidential election results despite right-wing attempts to undermine Nicolas Maduro's victory. With 75 per cent of the vote now audited, the level of accuracy in the first set of results had hit 99.98 per cent, it announced today.

The audit came about after loser Henrique Capriles claimed fraud in the April presidential election that saw Mr Maduro elected as successor to the late Hugo Chavez. Mr Capriles asked for and accepted a process which will see 100 per cent of all the votes audited - but has since said he won't recognise the results of the audit.

Venezuela's ambassador to Britain Samuel Moncada said: "This audit once again underlines the robustness and accuracy of Venezuela's voting system.

"That is why Nobel Prize winner Jimmy Carter called Venezuela's electoral system the best in the world.

More:
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/news/content/view/full/133007

[MADem]

1. The Carter Center said this:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/venezuelan-opposition-protests-vote/2013/05/01/f90587d6-b29d-11e2-9fb1-62de9581c946_story.html

Political analysts and electoral experts, among them Jennifer McCoy of the Carter Center, say the crisis could be defused with an extensive review of the automated voting system to address concerns raised by the opposition.

“The concerns are not about the machines and whether they counted accurately,” said McCoy, who is the Americas director at the center and has observed six elections here. “The questions are much more about who voted. Was there double voting? Was there impersonation of voters? And was there coerced voting?”

The bottom line is this--Maduro has the job. The question is, can he keep it? And I don't think his biggest concerns are anyone from the opposition party, either. He should perhaps look a bit closer to home, within his own party--and hire a food taster.

[eridani]

2. So there's formal testimony about coercion or multiple voting? n/t

[MADem]

5. That comment is from an official at the Carter Center. Its purpose was to refute the suggestion

that a generic quote about the MECHANICS of VZ elections, made last year by Jimmy Carter, was in any way operative or relative to the most recent election.

The Carter quote is NOT about "this" election--yet the OP makes a suggestion that the two are related.

My purpose was to clear up the matter and provide the Carter Center's actual POV on THIS election.

They are not nearly as sanguine as the OP would suggest.

Funny, when you have right on your side, there's no need to make spurious associations.

[Zorro]

3. Your cogent ruminations on Manuro's fate have been quite interesting

Despite all the bluster, I think he realizes he's in over his head and is letting Diosdado Cabello pull his strings -- an expedient and short term solution perhaps, but Cabello is not Manuro's friend.

Blaming conspiracies by outside forces for the economic problems will only go so far. Real reforms and new approaches are needed desperately, and Cabello is more than willing to remain in the background and let Manuro take the heat for any policy changes that go counter to Hugo's legacy. There are reports in the Spanish media that the government plans to charge rent on those properties built for the poor; one wonders what the backlash will be.

I suspect Manuro will be gone in 2 - 3 years, and quite possibly not through "free and fair elections". Who will be his replacement? The notoriously corrupt Diosdado Cabello, keeper of the Chavez flame/reputed narcotrafficker Rangel Silva, or ???

[MADem]

4. I was very surprised that Cabello was so agreeable, but looking at the dire situation

that VZ is in, the "He stoops to conquer" thesis makes sense. And you're right-- 2 to 3 years does seem to be the breaking point--how long can people mourn, and how long can Maduro hide behind a painting of a beaming Hugo?

Chavistas want Chavismo, and who was closer to Hugo than good old Diosdado? Army buddies, arm in arm down the years, I'm sure there are dozen of pictures and videos of them in happier, stronger days that will translate well to a poster or TV ad. Who knew Hugo better? Who was most like Hugo? Certainly not this poor schmuck flailing about at the head of the class now--he can't give a good speech, he always has a hangdog look, he's just not inspiring. He's tolerated now, because "Hugo said pick him," but hey, Hugo was REALLY sick when he said that--maybe he wasn't thinking right. Maybe he thought his civilian buddy would do better than he was able to do. Maybe someone who understands how Hugo came up, who came up WITH him, might be a better pick? It won't be long before the masses start missing their toilet paper and arepas, and yearn for the leader with the clenched fist, right to wear an Army uniform, and serious ability to bluster in a decisive manner.

And if it ever comes out that Hugo died earlier than his stated date of death, and Maduro kept him ventilated for his own purposes...well, that's a quick and easy way to turn people against the guy.

It happens...!

[a la izquierda]

6. This should make some heads explode around here.

I've stayed out of most of these Venezuela debates because I don't much pay attention to the political present in South America. It's not my area of expertise in Latin America.

[mecherosegarden]

7. I guess that when Maduro say that he knows

who didn't vote for him "by name and Id number" that is part of the "best system in the world." Go figure.

Now, how does Maduro knows this? I thought the vote was secret.

[MADem]

9. This is VERY problematic for the regime's credibility.

He's not saying "I know who the opposition voters are" -- he's saying "I know who the traitors are within my own party's ranks."

That's got to have a bit of a chilling effect. And there's no way to pretend he didn't say what he said, either.

[eridani]

8. Actually, there was 0.02% error.

As a retired analytical chemist, I find references to zero contamination, zero error, etc. unacceptable. I know I'm nitpicking, but I have never in my life reported any result as zero. It is always less thna the detection limit.