Leonel Fernández and Ernesto Samper Headed UNASUR’s Electoral Mission to Venezuela

GFDD president Leonel Fernández and Ernesto Samper, former president of Colombia, met this Thursday, February 11, with Venezuelan Head of State Nicolás Maduro prior to the release of a final report on the legislative elections held last December 6 in the South American country.

During the meeting, Samper acted in his capacity as Secretary General of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), and Fernández as Special Representative of the Mission,
deployed by the regional body as international observer of the recent electoral process in nine Venezuelan states.

The meeting occurred at a moment when the members of the UNASUR Electoral Mission are preparing to deliver their final report, containing observations and suggestions concerning the electoral process, to
Venezuela’s National Electoral Council.

The meeting was held in Miraflores Palace, seat of the Venezuelan executive, and also included the participation of Venezuela’s foreign affairs minister, Delcy Rodríguez.

As heads of the UNASUR Electoral Mission, former president of the Dominican Republic, Leonel Fernández, and Ernesto Samper, also met with the president of Venezuela’s National Electoral Council, Tibisay
Lucena.

The UNASUR Electoral Mission in Venezuela, coordinated by José Luis Exeni with Fernández as special envoy, had a presence in 15 of the 22 parishes of the Capital District and approximately 25 municipalities in nine states around the country, and visited nearly 100 electoral centers and 300 polling stations.

Of note is that following the elections, both Fernández and Samper highlighted that the process confirmed the democratic bent of the
Venezuelan people.