Venezuelans to Re-Vote for ANC in Violence-Stricken Areas
Venezuela’s electoral authority announced Thursday plans to re-run constituent assembly elections in two municipalities, after anti-government violence disrupted Sunday’s vote.
Puebla, Mexico, August 4, 2017 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuela’s electoral authority announced Thursday plans to re-run constituent assembly elections in two municipalities, after anti-government violence disrupted Sunday’s vote.
The re-runs will take place in the municipalities of Miranda in Merida state, and Francisco de Miranda in Tachira.
Both municipalities were engulfed in violence during Sunday’s nationwide elections, with authorities accusing anti-government groups of trying to impede voters. During Sunday’s vote in Tachira, a National Guard sergeant was gunned down, while three other people were killed in unclear circumstances across the city. Three more deaths were reported in Merida state on voting day. Across the country, a total of around 200 voting centres were attacked by opposition groups, according to authorities.
Both municipalities will now go to the polls a second time on Sunday, August 13. The re-runs will include voting for seven national constituent assembly (ANC) members.
These seven candidates will join the ANC in talks later this month on whether to propose changes to Venezuela’s constitution. Despite being seven members short, the ANC will be inaugurated on Friday. More than 500 members were elected during Sunday’s nationwide ANC elections, which electoral authorities say brought over 8 million Venezuelans to the polls. The opposition has disputed this figure, while the manufacturer of Venezuela’s signature electronic voting system has claimed at least 1 million of Sunday’s votes were affected by tampering.