2017 Venezuelan Constituent Assembly election

2017 Venezuelan Constituent Assembly election
← 1999 30 July 2017
Turnout41.53% (official)
~20% (independent estimates)[1]
  Majority party
 
Candidate Delcy Rodriguez
Party PSUV
Alliance GPPSB
Seats won 538
Seat change Increase 538
Elected President of the Constituent Assembly

Delcy Rodríguez
PSUV/MSV

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Constituent Assembly elections were held in Venezuela on 30 July 2017 to elect the members of the 2017 Constituent National Assembly (Spanish: Asamblea Nacional Constituyente; ANC).[2] Unlike the 1999 Constituent National Assembly, which was assembled following a referendum, the 2017 election was convened by the presidential decree of President Nicolás Maduro.[3][4] Smartmatic, the company which provided the voting machines, stated that the results were tampered with by the CNE, and that the turnout was off by at least one million votes.[5]

Approximately two-thirds (364) of Assembly members were elected by municipal citizens while members of seven social sectors — including trade unions, communal councils, indigenous groups, farmers, students, and pensioners — elected the remaining one-third (181) of members.[6][7] The opposition's boycott of the election meant that most candidates of the Constituent Assembly were supporters of the government.[7][8]

The decision to hold the election was criticised by members of the international community. Over 40 countries[9][10] along with supranational bodies, such as the European Union,[11] Mercosur[12] and the Organization of American States,[13] condemned and failed to recognize the election, stating it would only further escalate tensions. Nicolás Maduro's allies — such as Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Russia, and Syria[14] — discouraged foreign interference in Venezuelan politics and congratulated Maduro.[15]

  1. ^ Martínez, Eugenio G. (31 July 2017). "Sobre los resultados anunciados por el CNE". Prodavinci. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  2. ^ "As Venezuela unrest spreads, Maduro presses on with plans to rewrite charter". Reuters. 24 May 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
    "Venezuelan gov't proposes constitutional assembly election on July 30". EFE. 4 June 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  3. ^ "Venezuela: What is Maduro's Constituent Assembly?". Al Jazeera. 30 July 2017. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  4. ^ Virginia López and Sibylla Brodzinsky (July 25, 2017). "Venezuela to vote amid crisis: all you need to know". The Guardian. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Venezuela's embattled socialist president calls for citizens congress, new constitution". USA Today. Associated Press. 1 May 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  7. ^ a b Mogollon, Mery; Kraul, Chris (29 July 2017). "As Venezuelan election nears, more upheaval and cries of fraud". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  8. ^ "What are Venezuelans voting for and why is it so divisive?". BBC News. 30 July 2017. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
    Bronstein, Hugh. "Venezuelan opposition promises new tactics after Sunday's vote". Reuters India. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
  9. ^ "La lista de los 40 países democráticos que hasta el momento desconocieron la Asamblea Constituyente de Venezuela". Infobae (in Spanish). 31 July 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  10. ^ "Fear spreads in Venezuela ahead of planned protest of controversial election". The Washington Post. 28 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  11. ^ "Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the situation in Venezuela - Consilium". www.consilium.europa.eu. High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  12. ^ "Venezuela Urged by Mercosur to Refrain From Escalating Tensions". Bloomberg.com. 21 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  13. ^ "Almagro, 13 OAS Nations Demand Maduro Suspend Constitutional Assembly". Latin American Herald Tribune. 26 July 2017. Archived from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  14. ^ "Syria congratulates Venezuela on successful election of the Constituent Assembly – Syrian Arab News Agency". sana.sy. 31 July 2017. Retrieved 2017-08-01.
  15. ^ "Venezuela: Where is the condemnation?". 4 July 2017. Archived from the original on 31 July 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2017.