Venezuela - April 2024

Registration to vote from abroad marred by irregularities and delays

Members of the Venezuelan diaspora have encountered significant issues when trying to register for the first time or change their information to cast their vote for the 28 July election. The National Electoral Council (Consejo Nacional Electoral-CNE) announced that citizens would be able to register from abroad between 18 March to 16 April, yet many have faced numerous hurdles. These issues have been particularly evident in Argentina, a country with a large Venezuelan diaspora. There, the electoral registration began two weeks after the set time and was only announced through informal channels. Similar accounts of delays and irregularities have been seen throughout Latin America. Other prerequisites to vote, not foreseen in Venezuela's electoral framework, have also been added by Maduro's government, making registration from abroad more costly and timely. Thus, even though Venezuelan citizens might be registered, some cannot afford to go through the process of voting from abroad.

Sources: Caracas Chronicles, Radio France Internationale, The Associated Press