Brasília - The Congressional delegation that acted as international observers of the plebiscite in Venezuela returned to Brazil with the idea of including the mechanism of popular referendum in Brazilian law. A popular vote was held yesterday (15) in Venezuela to decide whether President Hugo Chávez should remain in office.

For Federal Deputy Maninha (PT-DF), who was a member of the delegation, Venezuela is giving an example of democracy to the world and to Brazil, which could add this form of participatory democracy to the Federal Constitution. "This is an efficient instrument of social control that preserves the Democratic State," Maninha observed.

Federal Deputy João Alfredo (PT-CE), who was also a member of the delegation, suggests that next year the Brazilian National Congress should consider including the referendum in Brazilian law as part of the political reform that is being analyzed in the Chamber. "With the political reform, we shall have the opportunity to consecrate this form of participatory democracy," he emphasized.

According to Deputy Maninha, the opposition claim that the electoral process was marked by fraud is at odds with the calm atmosphere in the streets. According to Maninha, "there isn't the slightest chance that there was fraud in the voting process." The results indicate that 58.25% of the Venezuelan population backs President Hugo Chávez, versus 41.74% that opposes him. The observers' delegation visited at least six large polling centers and, according to Deputy João Alfredo, verified that the voting system utilized is "absolutely secure."

Agência Brasil
Reporter: Ellis Regina
Translator: David Silberstein
08/16/2004