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Venezuela supreme court rejects challenge to Maduro re-election
CARACAS, June 14, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Venezuela’s highest court refused
Wednesday to consider a lawsuit challenging President Nicolas Maduro’s re-
election victory in May.
The elections chamber of the Supreme Court announced its decision on
Twitter, and did not give the reasoning behind it. The court is widely
accused of being biased in favor of the president.
On May 20, Maduro was re-elected for a second six-year term with 68 percent
of the vote in a poll boycotted by the main opposition and derided as a sham
by the US, EU and 13 other Latin American countries. More than half of the
electorate abstained.
Venezuela is in the throes of a severe economic crisis.
The suit was lodged by Henri Falcon, Maduro’s main rival in the election,
who called for the vote to be run again. Among other things Falcon argued
that Maduro offered cash incentives to many voters who could be tracked
electronically through cards giving them access to government food aid
programs.
He also denounced the use of state media to promote Maduro’s campaign, and
claimed “pressure and coercion” was used against opposition monitors in
polling stations.
Falcon said polling stations in several areas remained open beyond their
official closing time to allow more socialist party voters to cast ballots.
After the court decision was announced Falcon accused the tribunal of
deepening the country’s political crisis. “You keep closing the door to a
peaceful, electoral solution,” he wrote on Twitter.
He said he would keep pressing his case with international bodies but did
not say which ones.
BSS/AFP/MR/1104 hrs