Congress
of the United States
Washington, DC 20515
December 10, 2003
Letter
His Excellency Hugo Chavez Frias
President
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
Miraflores Palace
Caracas, Venezuela
Dear Mr. President:
Thank you for inviting Members of the Boston Group and the Congressional Black
Caucus visit Venezuela during the recent electoral event organized by the
National Electoral Council. Representative Cass Ballenger (R-NC) and
Representative Diane Watson (D-CA) were in Venezuela on November 30, 2003 to
observe the signature collection drive organized by the National Electoral
Council.
Representative Ballenger and Representative Watson spent the entire day
visiting a number of signature-collection stations and speaking with volunteers and citizens participating in the process. The Congressional
Delegation observed that the process was orderly and appeared to meet the guidelines set out by the National Electoral Council (CNE) under the
authority of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
It was the orderly Constitutional process, Mr. President, that led to the peaceful appointment of the CNE after the National Assembly was unable to
reach a compromise. Your statements recognizing the legitimacy and
independence of the CNE helped the Venezuelan people carry out their
extraordinary demonstration of civic duty during the two electoral events
undertaken last weekend and from November 21-24, 2003.
Now that the signatures have been collected, it is time to begin the crucial process of tabulation and validation. Representative Ballenger
and Watson met with the Directors of the CNE and received assurances that the
verification process would be carried out in a professional and transparent manner. The CNE has invited the Organization of American States
and the Carter Center to observe the conduct of the verification process.
Your government and the opposition have publicly committed to accept and abide
by the decisions of the National Electoral Council. It is our sincere hope that all political factions and sectors of Venezuelan society,
including the media, will keep this commitment to respect the CNE an independent arbiter. Statements, by any party, that throw the
credibility of the Council in question based on conjecture cannot be
helpful to the Council's difficult work.
Mr. President, you have changed the course of Venezuelan history. You had the foresight to include the mechanism???? in the Bolivarian
Constitution to allow the Venezuelan people to freely express themselves
through this electoral process. We are confident that under your leadership,
this electoral process can foster a peaceful national reconciliation that
Venezuela needs and deserves.
We believe that the Venezuelan members of the Boston Group can play a key role
in the next few months to bridge differences, lower tensions, and defuse any
crises that may arise. We stand ready, as always, to give you and Venezuela
our respectful friendship and assistance during these
coming months.
Most Respectfully,
CASS BALLENGER
Member of Congress
DONALD PAYNE
Member of Congress