OAS fails to pass resolution on electoral transparency in Venezuela

The Organization of American States (OAS) failed to pass a resolution demanding the publication of voting records from the recent presidential elections in Venezuela. Despite the presence of several Latin American foreign ministers, the resolution did not get the necessary votes to be adopted.

The document, entitled "On the elections in Venezuela on July 28, 2024," sought to have the National Electoral Council of Venezuela immediately publish the voting records and allow the presence of independent observers to guarantee the transparency and legitimacy of the results. The proposal was supported by 17 votes in favor, with 11 abstentions and five absences. Among the abstentions and absences were Brazil, Mexico, Bolivia, Colombia and Honduras.

The resolution also stressed the need to protect peaceful protesters and preserve all equipment used in the electoral process to ensure its integrity. The session was chaired by Ronald Sanders, who explained that the delay in the start of the meeting was due to lengthy consultations with the foreign ministers present.

Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino and other foreign ministers, such as those of Argentina, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Chile, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay, participated in the meeting. However, the lack of consensus on a specific paragraph prevented the unanimous approval of the document.

OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro had urged Nicolás Maduro to recognize his defeat in the elections, but Maduro's government did not allow the presence of OAS observers during the elections. Instead, only a small mission from the United Nations and another from the Carter Center were authorized.

Mexico, under Andrés Manuel López Obrador, did not participate in the meeting, arguing that there was no evidence of electoral fraud in Venezuela.

Venezuela's government-controlled National Electoral Council (CNE) officially proclaimed Maduro re-elected president with 51% of the vote, beating opposition candidate Edmundo González, who got 44%.