Voting on December 4. Are venezuelan living abroad excluded?

Venezuelans living abroad seem to be second class citizens when it is time to vote. Venezuelan consulates around the world have today no idea on how their citizens are going to vote in the forthcoming venezuelan elections that will take place on December 4, 2005. Just nine days away (see here).

Several friends living abroad have called their consulates and the answer is that they have no news from the goverment on how the vote will be organized.


Interestingly, expatriated venezuelans did vote in Consulates and Embassies on August 15, 2004 on the revocatory referendum. They went to vote massively despite long hours of waiting. The results were overwhelming in favor of revoking the mandate of Hugo Chavez, as can be seen here. Also note the fact that the vote abroad was not electronic.

Is this just Chavista incompetence or is it a deliberate measure to insure that a portion of those that oppose Chavez are denied the right to vote?

So, dear readers, if you are a Venezuelan citizen living abroad, call your Consulate and ask them about the voting arrangements. Then post a note here so that we can read all the chavista excuses for denying you your right to vote.

Note1 added.- According to the information provided by one of the readers, it is possible to vote in the Chicago Consulate. But other readers have gotten no anwers about voting from their Consulates. So this is important. Call your local Consulate and let us know. Here is the link for Consulate info