VZCZCXYZ0002
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHCV #3530/01 3371831
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 031831Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7185

UNCLAS CARACAS 003530 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
SUBJECT: VENEZUELAN ELECTION UPDATE - NOON (EST) 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  Opposition candidate Manuel Rosales told 
the media that he is concerned that voting delays are 
occurring disproportionately in traditional opposition 
strongholds.  Rosales nevertheless said that voting was 
occurring with "a certain degree of normality."  A relaxed 
President Chavez told the media that the election is 
proceeding normally.  In response to a question about North 
Korea, Chavez suggested Venezuela wants good relations with 
all countries, including the United States. 
 
¶2. (SBU) CNE President Tibisay Lucena conceded to state TV 
that many polling stations did not open at 6:00 a.m. as 
scheduled, but stressed that 99.9 percent of polling stations 
were functioning by mid-morning.  Embassy's informal election 
observers are gaining access to some polls and are being 
politely turned away from others.  They report long lines at 
most polling stations, as well as some noticeable 
irregularities.  OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza 
issued a December 2 appeal to Venezuelan voters to vote in 
"peace and tranquillity" and urged the media to respect the 
prohibition on broadcasting unofficial election returns.  End 
Summary. 
 
-------------------------------- 
Manuel Rosales' Initial Concerns 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U)  After voting in Maracaibo at 10:15 a.m. local time, 
opposition candidate Manuel Rosales told the media that his 
campaign has concluded that electoral problems are occurring 
more frequently in areas where the opposition has 
traditionally done well.  Rosales said that his campaign did 
a quick study that showed that 36 percent of electoral 
problems occurred in opposition strongholds, 20 percent in 
areas where both Chavez and the opposition enjoy support, and 
five percent in Chavez strongholds.  Rosales also alleged 
that his supporters in at least four states received printed 
receipts showing "null" votes after trying to vote for 
Rosales, and he urged the CNE to rectify these problems. 
Rosales praised the military's efforts to provide security 
and logistics for the elections and characterized voting so 
far relatively normal.  Rosales is slated to return to 
Caracas the afternoon of December 3. 
 
---------------- 
Chavez' Comments 
---------------- 
 
¶4. (U) After voting in Caracas at 11:45 a.m. local time, a 
relaxed President Chavez told the media that he believes the 
electoral process is proceeding normally.  He urged the 
opposition not to "shoot bullets without proof" and urged 
them to accept the eventual electoral results.  In response 
to a question from a Japanese reporter about North Korea, 
Chavez said Venezuela seeks cooperation with all countries, 
and then added that he wants good relations with the United 
States.  He said he considered remarks by the "Assistant 
Secretary" (Shannon) that Venezuela is a democracy is a "good 
 
SIPDIS 
sign."  He also called the recent electoral results in 
Nicaragua and Ecuador "good signs." 
 
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CNE Line 
-------- 
 
¶5. (U) CNE President Tibisay Lucena told state TV that while 
many voting centers did not open at 6:00 am. as scheduled, 
over 95 percent had opened by 9:00 a.m. and 99.9 percent were 
functioning by mid-morning.  Lucena suggested that "null" 
votes are the result of voters who press the party name or 
candidate's face, instead of the oval next to their preferred 
candidate on the electronic ballot.  Other members of the CNE 
held a late morning press conference to reinforce the same 
point. 
 
---------------------------- 
Embassy Election Observation 
---------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Pairs of embassy informal observers are visiting 
polling stations in Caracas and seven states.  Ambassador and 
Deskoff also drove to some Caracas polling stations in both 
affluent and working class neighborhoods.  Embassy observers 
have gained access to inside polling stations in about 50 
percent of the visits and have been turned away politely the 
other 50 percent of the time.  They report long lines at most 
polling stations, including at polling stations in Chavez and 
Rosales strongholds.  Several embassy teams also confirm 
opposition complaints of voters receiving "blank" printed 
voting receipts. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Some embassy election observers report that the 
electronic voting machines are hooked up. a violation of CNE 
norms.  According to CNE rules, the machines are supposed to 
produce a local voting tally ("acta") and then local 
officials may hook them up to transmit these results to the 
CNE tabulation center.  Active duty military officers appear 
to have the lead in providing security at polling stations, 
although reservists, in some cases armed, are also playing a 
prominent role at some polling stations.  At least one 
embassy election team has noticed that fingerprinting 
machines are causing more delays in opposition areas than in 
pro-Chavez areas. 
 
---------------------------------- 
OAS SecGen Insulza's Press Release 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (U) OAS SecGen Insulza released a December 2 statement 
urging all of Venezuela's political actors to "strictly 
respect the electoral norms" of the presidential election. 
He urged that the elections take place in "peace and 
tranquillity" and Venezuelans to put aside their profound 
differences.  Insulza also urged that the media respect 
electoral rules prohibiting the transmission of unofficial 
electoral results to avoid "errors or provoking undesirable 
reactions." 
 
BROWNFIELD