Old-timer tells "wallies" in opposition to start new signature campaign, stop whining in Parliament

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Tuesday, May 20, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Former Supreme Electoral College (CSE) president under the Fourth Republic, Carlos Delgado Chapellin has advised the opposition to start a new signature campaign and stop wasting time in the National Assembly (AN) . 

Delgado Chapellin, who ran the CNE from 1980 till 1991, says the new CNE is obliged to convoke a recall referendum within six months after it is installed because it is the voters that decide.  

"The CNE is technically capacitated to run not just a presidential recall referendum but any recall referendum against State Governors, Mayors and councilors." 

Agreeing with Jorge Olavarria and Primero Justice (PJ) deputy, Gerardo Blyde,  Delgado Chapellin says the signature campaign must start again because of the lack of clarity in the heading of the signature papers." 

The conduct of AN political fractions is "irrational" because, he says, deputies have not be able to reach an agreement due the buddy system of proposing friends. 

Branding the proposal to leave the selection to the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) a "constitutional short-cut," the former CSE leader warns that it could take longer than the normal process, namely through debate in Parliament. "The electoral process got the jinks when they changed the name from CSE to CNE."