Discredited Red de Veedores accuses AN of discrimination

www.vheadline.com Posted: Thursday, March 20, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Andres Bello Catholic University (UCAB) Electoral Observers Network (Red de Veedores) president, Ruth Capriles complains that her organization has been pushed out of the National Electoral College (CNE) applications process.

Capriles has told Globovision that the House norm does not mean that all the applications committee sessions must be behind closed doors. The rabid anti-Chavist says the National Assembly (AN) had authorized the network's participation on March 6, 2003 but has since declared house sessions private.

Ms. Capriles and her organization’s credentials as independent electoral observers have been placed in serious doubt after her public and partisan appearances at anti-government marches over the past two years.

Meanwhile, the AN applications committee has announced that it will whittle down 400 applications to 60 to avoid delaying the process further.