The election in Bolívar State ended up closer than expected. Late Sunday night, incumbent Chavista governor Francisco Rangel Gómez was declared winner by a narrow margin. The latest results give him a three-point gap over former Governor Andrés Velásquez, backed by the MUD.
Velásquez has challenged the results and his supporters are protesting since yesterday in front of the State’s Electoral Board. The MUD says the data they have changes the outcome.
As I wrote in my earlier post, the PCV candidate Manuel Arciniegas was influential in the final result by taking 30.000 votes. Seven minor candidates took almost 6.000 votes combined. The gap between Rangel Gómez and Velásquez is of 10.000 votes.
Rangel Gómez was officially certified today as re-elected Governor, with plenty of military presence in the state’s capital. Henrique Capriles and Antonio Ledezma have travelled to Bolivar to support Velásquez. The story is still unfolding, so stay tuned.
UPDATE # 1: TalCual reports that the core of Velásquez’s claims are 126 voting station reports which allegedly have not been included by the CNE in their final count.
UPDATE # 2: PCV’s candidate Manuel Arciniegas has doubts about the results (including his own), in an interview he gave to local newspaper Correo del Caroní:
“We have serious observations about the result. For us, what it shows a close political parity between Velásquez and Rangel, and Rangel winning, it’s not true…”
“I have more votes that those I’ve been assigned and that situation with Velásquez and Rangel doesn’t match reality. The way results were announced (by the CNE), given the strategic importance of the state, was disrespectful. Said last, in two times and inside an enviroment of confusion…”
Ah, I pity Velasquez… the Susan Lucci of Venezuelan elections!
I presume you refer to her 18 straight nominations without winning an Emmy? Velazquez better hope he doesn’t have to go through 18 elections before winning… OTOH how many has he gone through already? Anyone know? This might be lucky 19!
Yep, he’s always oh so close, yet it’s always somehow stolen from under him…. I’m sure he must have some kind of record of stolen elections in Venezuela! But hey, there’s always next cycle, chin up Sus… err.. Andres!
The rat nail it again http://www.elchiguirebipolar.net/17-12-2012/andres-velasquez-le-pone-vidrios-ahumados-al-carro-para-que-no-le-roben-mas-elecciones/
I said it again: Chiguire has been on fire lately.
This is BIG, if they manage to make velasquez appointed it’s a HUGE point for the opposition “look, the CNE is evil and all but WE MADE IT, yes, they wanted to procalim fulanito by ignoring a lot of votes, but we did a helluva field work, we got the actas and we proved that velasquez won, truly, HAY UN CAMINO ELECTORAL!”
Cne is on chavez’s side, there will be no recount…..
There will be NO peace, as long as Kirk lives (er Chavez, lives…)
I find it Ironic that Capriles or the MUD are actually doing something. I thought they believed that saying/doing anything against the CNE would drive people to stay home…. Oh, sorry, they Did stay home anyway.
I really hope they win in Bolivar and that this represents a change in the way the MUD was behaving
They can’t be “allowed” to win in Bolivar.–it would call into question the Barinas “win”, as well as the illegal/fraudulent CNE/Government electoral procedures generally.
So if they are not allowed to win, will they cry Fraude?
Probably, but when the Oppo cries out in a Chavista-controlled Institutional forest, can anybody of decision-making importance hear?
I still have vivid memories of 16th August, 2004, at 5:00 a.m., hearing a shell-shocked Andrés Velásquez on TV ranting about ”fraaaaaaauuuuudeeeee!!!” on the basis of no evidence whatsoever.
Show me your actas, Andrés.
Still defending your hundred dollar bill?
Show me the actas and take it home, dude…
Chavismo mata actas.
“I am NET, and I don’t believe in evidence…”
I believe in statistical studies of probabilities, as well as Penn/Schoen’s exit polls.