In Venezuela: My observations about International Observer Roberto Rivas

Gustavo Coronel*
VenezuelaToday.net
December 6, 2005


Just before today's Venezuelan legislative elections (plebiscite) the Chávez TV station presented the international observers to the friendly press. Most of these observers agreed that the Venezuelan National Electoral Council was doing a "splendid" job. They did not think the automated elections could be fraudulent and some expressed their wish to have the Venezuelan Smartmatic machines used in their own countries when elections came up. One of the most emphatic and enthusiastic supporters of the Venezuelan Electoral Council was a round gentleman with a beard called Roberto Rivas, from Nicaragua. He went, far beyond what would be expected of an observer, to praise the Venezuelan government and to browbeat the Venezuelan opposition, calling them "manipulators." His rant in favor of the Chávez camp was as inelegant as his physical appearance was unkempt.

I was indignant to hear what this man had to say and how he said it. As a member of the opposition to the regime of Hugo Chávez I felt deeply offended by his utterances. Here was a foreigner in our country talking, at election time, about our internal politics and attacking the Venezuelan opposition. Worst of all, he was an international observer, "selected" to be a member of what should be a highly professional and impartial group, having the sacred role of guaranteeing a transparent and objective electoral event.

What kind of a person can talk like this? I asked myself. How was he selected?

Mr. Roberto Rivas is the president of Nicaragua's Electoral Council, the counterpart of Venezuela's Jorge Rodríguez. He is a politician, not an electoral expert. He has been in control of the Nicaraguan Electoral Council for more than seven years, due to the protection of Nicaraguan Cardinal Obando and his alliances with indicted child rapist Daniel Ortega and with former President Arnoldo Aleman, convicted of large-scale corruption. According to the Managua, Nicaragua press ("Electos sin Verguenza," El Nuevo Diario, October 2003, Mario Mairena Martinez), a "shameless" pact between Cardinal Obando and Daniel Ortega allowed Rivas to retain his top job at the Electoral Council. The report adds that the first decision he took was to ask the government to double his salary. In order to be acceptable for re-election, the report adds, he had to sign a document to Obando in which he promised not to waste and pilfer the government money as he did during his first term.

Roberto Rivas, claims the Nicaraguan press, is a corrupt manipulator
In La Prensa (July 9, 2005) Ludwin Loáisiga reports that Roberto Rivas has been denied a U.S. visa for corruption. The cancellation of the visa was based on article 212(f) of the U.S. Law of Immigration that relates to persons who have committed illicit acts. Rivas had U.S. resident status but decided to give it up due to what he called "political pressures."

In an interview given to Lourdes Arróliga, Rivas admitted to being a close friend of corrupt Arnoldo Alemán. The journalist pointed out his alliance with the Sandinistas, which he unconvincingly denied. He admitted to the protection of Cardinal Obando as the main reason why he was able to stay as president of the Nicaraguan Electoral Council for such a long time (Confidencial, Analisis Politico, July 4-10, 2004, www.confidencial.com.ni/2004-395/invitado1-395.htm).

A report by Paul Jeffrey (www.gbgm-umc.org/honduras/articles/nicachurch.html: "Church-State conflict worsens in Nicaragua"), offers further details on Rivas. Rivas is the son of Cardinal Obando's housekeeper. Although he has the salary of a public officer, insufficient by his own admission, he owns a mansion in the south of the capital, built on land donated to the church for social programs. He sent his two Mercedes-Benz' to Honduras before the government of president Bolaños could impound them. He imported a yacht in 2001 but has not been able to prove that the import was legitimate. This report claims that Rivas has converted the Electoral Council in to a nest for political patronage. A radio station he started under the pretense of a religious station was used primarily to give support to corrupt Arnoldo Aleman and ended up seized by the government of Bolaños.

Minimum moral requirements to be an observer
One would think that an internationl electoral observer should possess exceptional or, at least, adequate moral standards and public prestige. Does a man like Roberto Rivas qualify for such a delicate position? To judge by his comments on Venezuelan TV and his public record in Nicaragua he is totally unqualified. I can only hope that the rest of the group has better qualifications because, if this is not the case, the credibility of this group of international observers would be non-existent and it would do great harm to the credibility of the Venezuelan electoral process, already seriously wounded. How were these observers selected? How could a person like Rivas manage to be named as observer? The Venezuelan Electoral authorities owe yet another explanation to all of the Venezuelan citizens who were insulted by the Nicaraguan Roberto Rivas.



* Gustavo Coronel is a 28 years oil industry veteran, a member of the first board of directors (1975-1979) of Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA).





Si deseas publicar un art�culo, env�alo a articulos@11abril.com