Highlights
– National Election Council approves candidate prohibition list
– Protests held against Chavez, calling banning a political tool
– Additional actions against opposition parties likely in lead up to November 2008 regional elections
In anticipation of the November 2008 regional contests, on June 19, 2008, Venezuela’s National Election Council approved a measure introduced by President Hugo Chavez to prohibit hundreds of candidates from entering the elections. While the Colombian comptroller maintains that the candidates have been banned from running due to ongoing corruption investigations, critics state that the lack of formal charges indicates the list is being used as a political tool.
Demonstrations in recent days have continued to fuel protest against Chavez’s party’s actions, and criticism will like continue in the mid-term until the elections are held.
Sidelined Candidates
On June 19, 2008, spokesmen for the National Election Council (NEC) announced the list of banned candidates drawn up by Comptroller General Clodosblado Russian had been approved. This list specifies nearly 300 candidates, primarily from President Chavez’s opposition parties, including some of the opposition’s more prominent leaders, including Caracas mayoral hopeful Leopoldo Lopez. As determined by the latest revisions to the constitution by a 1991 Constitutional assembly, the Comptroller (Russian) is allowed to bar individuals from seeking office who are currently facing corruption probes. The NEC cannot then register the banned candidates unless the Supreme Court rules they can run; however, the NEC urged the court to “quickly decide” the candidates’ fates, indicating it is not completely under political influence. The Council intends to review the list itself in the near-term, as approximately 100 of the individuals may no longer face restrictions.
Criticism Rises
Critics of the recent list include more than 12 members of the 1999 assembly that drafted the current constitution, including Chavez’s ex-wife Marisabel Rodriguez, who have accused Russian of violating the law. Rodriguez joined supporters at a rally on July 12, 2008, stating that Russian is “illegally excluding those who don’t share the president’s socialist agenda.” The rally included a march to the Supreme Court, with thousands of protesters waving white flags and chanting “freedom” and demanding the court dismiss the blacklist.
Chavez has defended the registry and Comptroller Russian’s actions, stating that the list was assembled in line with Colombian law. Speaking on June 24, 2008 at a military parade, Chavez stated, “Russian makes decision in accordance with the law and [protestors] attack him.” He has also stated that recent protesters should be ashamed of themselves for defending candidates suspected of corruption.
Importance for Chavez
The November 2008 elections is the first major round of voting since President Chavez suffered his only major setback at the ballot box in the December 2007 referendum that would have erased presidential term limits (Previous Report). Currently, Chavez’s allies control all but four of Venezuela’s 23 state governor seats, as well as the majority of the 300 municipal leaders roles. However, with declining support for Chavez and his party, recent domestic opinion polls indicate that the opposition could win as many as 10 of the 23 positions being contested in November 2008, placing opposition groups on a more even political platform with Chavez.
While the blacklist will likely limit the number of opposition candidates available to run, growing popular distrust with Chavez will likely incite the population to push for a Supreme Court decision in the near-term. However, a new law in 2004, which expanded the Supreme Court seats from 20 to 32, allowed Chavez to place numerous supporters in those positions, increasing his ability to stall a decision before registration deadlines for November. Chavez will likely continue to introduce measures to block opposition participation in the coming elections to ensure the largest success for his party.
