Leonel Fernández Will Act as UNASUR Special Representative in Venezuela Elections

Fernández was chosen for the mission by the chancellors of the 14 countries that make up UNASUR.

GFDD/Funglode president Dr. Leonel Fernández formally assumed his role last week as special representative of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) for the parliamentary elections to be held this December 6 in Venezuela.

The formal installation of the international observer mission occurred during an event held at the
headquarters of Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE), headed by former Colombian president Ernesto Samper, current secretary general of UNASUR.

Fernández, the former president of the Dominican Republic, was selected for the mission by the chancellors of the 14 countries that make up UNASUR. Responsible for general coordination of the observation mission is José Luis Exeni, former president of Bolivia’s National Electoral Court.

After formally installing the mission, Samper highlighted Fernández’s capacity to head the electoral accompaniment project, noting that he shares a Caribbean background with Venezuela.

“We’re here [in Venezuela] so the elections will turn out well, be transparent, and their results accepted,” said Samper, and noted that UNASUR electoral missions “respond to one of our guiding principles, which is to preserve
democracy in the region.”

For his part, Dr. Fernández expressed his thanks at the confidence bestowed on him by the nations of South America and promised to help carry out objective work that contributes to strengthening the institutionalization of democracy in Venezuela.

In his address, Fernández noted that he accepted the UNASUR position due to his awareness of the importance of the impending elections for Venezuelans, after confirming his
intention to use the post to promote electoral participation.

“I can say to Venezuelans that they can express themselves through the ballot and they can do so with the seal of impartiality bestowed by UNASUR representatives to examine this with objectivity, and with the guarantee that only the Venezuelan authorities can provide that the elections will be transparent,” said Fernández.

Meanwhile Tibisay Lucena, president of
Venezuela’s National Electoral Council, highlighted that this international accompaniment allows mission participants to be present for all phases of the electoral cycle, from beginning to end.

The event also included an address by Venezuelan chancellor Delcy Rodríguez, who affirmed that her country’s electoral system has been deemed one of the most transparent, reliable, and secure by specialist global organizations.