Coordinadora Democratica estimates at least 4.5 million signatures

www.vheadline.com Posted: Wednesday, February 05, 2003 - 2:47:26 AM By: Robert Rudnicki

According to Coordinadora Democratica negotiator Enrique Naime, the opposition petition held on Sunday has already collected 4.5 million signatures, and this doesn't include those from overseas and from certain provinces that are difficult to access.

Naime claims the petition could end up with around five million signatories, and if President Hugo Chavez Frias has agreed to a referendum on February 2 "5.5 million people would have voted against him, compared to one million in his favor."

• "In the name of Coordinadora Democratica, of the country ... I would like to thank the Venezuela that wants a democratic solution and that says no to violence ."

For these figures to be accurate, the opposition would have had to collect signatures from over one third of Venezuela's approximate 12 million registered voters, a figure that several top government representatives, including the President, have expressed their doubts over.

However, despite the claims and counter claims, there is currently no body that is able to verify these signatures as the new National Electoral College (CNE) board is yet to be appointed.