transparent voting

Despite Senator Nelson’s adversary tone towards the Venezuelan government, after McCoy’s convincing testimony, he declared that if the Smartmatic machines, which provide paper receipts, are successful in the referendum vote, "maybe Venezuela will teach Florida something." In the last presidential elections in the U.S., that State of Florida came under heavy fire for badly functioning election equipment, disenfranchisement of blacks, and widespread fraud in electoral registries and polls across the state.

Human Rights Watch's Jose Vivanco said that Venezuela's press "has been able to express its strong views without restriction," but criticized a new law that allow the Venezuelan National Assembly to appoint new Supreme Court justices.Credit: Jeremy Bigwood

The U.S. has no moral authority to promote the rule of law

Human Rights Watch Director for the Americas, Jose MiguelVivanco, who has been in the public spotlight over the past week in Venezuela due to his harsh criticism of a new judicial reform law in Venezuela, stressed that "Venezuela is a Democracy, although a fragile one." Vivanco further proclaimed that the press in Venezuela "has been able to express its strong views without restriction." Finally, Vivanco boldly stated that "the ability of the U.S. to advocate for democracy in Venezuela was severely hurt in 2002 when the Bush Administration chose to blame Chavez for his own ouster rather than unequivocally denouncing the coup. In addition, the Abu Grahib scandal has undermined the administration’s moral authority when it comes to promoting the rule of law abroad."

With regard to Vivanco's statements on the Venezuelan National Assembly's possible appointment of