Venezuela: 134 foreign observers to witness local polls

The president of Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE), Tibisay Lucena, welcomed on Thursday 134 foreign observers that arrived in the South American country to monitor next November 23rd election of governors and mayors.  Lucena said at a press conference in Caracas that the presence of international observers from America, Europe, Africa and Asia, will help "show before the world (...) the reality of the Venezuelan electoral process," EFE reported.  Representatives of international electoral organizations of the United States and Canada, as well as members of the Latin American Economic System (SELA), the Common Market of the South (Mercosur) and the Organization of American States (OAS) will be among the international observers invited to participate, the CNE said. The OAS confirmed on Thursday in a statement that two top officials of the OAS, on behalf of Secretary-General José Miguel Insulza, will participate as guests in the activities planned by the Venezuelan electoral institution.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) - Nicaragua lambasted the U.S. government and the head of the Organization of American States on Thursday, accusing both of trying to destabilize President Daniel Ortega's government by criticizing local elections.
Both the U.S. State Department and OAS Secretary-General Jose Miguel Insulza have expressed concern over opposition allegations of fraud in the Nov. 9 municipal elections. They also lamented that international observers weren't allowed to be present during voting. Appearing before the OAS permanent council in Washington, Nicaraguan OAS ambassador Denis Moncada said Insulza overstepped his authority when weighing in on the dispute.