00:00And Venezuela is going to the polls this Sunday in a mega election to choose governors and members of parliament.
00:06To keep analysing today's key elections for Venezuelans, let's go to our studios in Caracas, Venezuela,
00:13with our colleague Anna Marrero, who is joined by a very special guest, politician Arnold Agost.
00:18Hi, Anna.
00:19Hello, Alejandra, and hello to the audience, Annalise, and well, welcome to Telesur English, and welcome from the south.
00:34It's a pleasure.
00:35As a collaborator of Telesur, it's always a pleasure to collaborate, whether it's here in Caracas or Havana, or by writing articles for Telesur.
00:45Oh, that's so good.
00:46And it's really nice to have you here.
00:49Well, what can you tell us, what do you think about the 32nd elections being held in Venezuela during the 26 years?
00:59Well, you mentioned 32 elections. Actually, there's more.
01:02For example, today, it counts as one election, but in reality, there are two.
01:07One is for the National Assembly deputies, and the other is for governors and the legislative consulta in the level of the state.
01:19So it's really much more than 32.
01:20I think, without any doubt, Venezuela is the champion of elections and democracy.
01:27But nevertheless, the United States and their allies always try to demonize Venezuela, saying that it's not democratic.
01:35It's pretty ironic when you have so many elections.
01:38Yeah.
01:39And also, how do you describe the democracy that Venezuelans are demonstrating that exists in the country through the vote?
01:49Because, as you said, the right wing tries to demonize the government of Venezuela, saying that here is no democracy, but the people voting are showing that there is.
02:03What do you think about it?
02:04Well, actually, of course, I'm attending today.
02:07I went to the voting centers and saw how they voted.
02:12I did that previously for the presidential elections in July of last year.
02:18In July 28th.
02:19In July 28th of last year for the presidential.
02:21I saw the voting procedure there, and I saw it again today.
02:24So, once again, anyone who is in any way objective, they have to say, in my view, it's a fraud-free electoral system.
02:34It's not possible to carry out any fraud.
02:37Now, for me, it's not just the elections.
02:40Like yesterday, with the help of some friends, I visited two barrios, two neighborhoods.
02:45One is in Petari, which is the biggest neighborhood, the biggest barrio in Latin America in terms of population.
02:53It was very, very inspiring.
02:55I went there.
02:56I spoke to the people.
02:58And it's very clear from the point of view of the people that this is their revolution.
03:04You know, Venezuela, I mentioned this a long time during my first visit in Venezuela until he served with Ray Gomez, I think it was 2015, a long time ago.
03:15A long time ago.
03:16He asked me, what do you think, you're in Barrio 23, what is your opinion?
03:22I said the main thing then, and I say it now, what distinguishes the Venezuelan democracy from any other democracy around the world is its protagonist.
03:33That is, people see themselves as the author of their own revolution.
03:38And it's the same thing today.
03:39When I was there yesterday in that barrio, everyone I spoke to, irrespective of how they're going to vote, they say they want to vote in peace.
03:47And the United States cannot give lessons to anyone about a democracy and to carry out elections.
03:56The same thing, I went to the Barrio 23 de Janeiro.
03:59And, of course, there it's very militant.
04:02And they said the same thing.
04:03People want to vote in peace.
04:04People have confidence in the electoral system in Venezuela.
04:08They see it as part of an overall process that began in 1998 when Hugo Chavez was first elected.
04:15And it went through all of the major transformations, social, economic, health, etc.
04:20And so they're part of this whole dynamic.
04:23And, you know, for example, the way they participate in the communas, they're the ones who decide what are the projects which they're proposing.
04:33And once it's accepted by vote, then they get the funds from the central government to carry out these programs.
04:39So, you know, it may be strange for someone coming from the United States or Canada who has very preconceived notions against Venezuela.
04:48But Venezuela doesn't see this as part.
04:50This is their revolution.
04:51And it's up to them to do it, carry out the way they think it's best.
04:55Yeah, and also there are not only elections of governors here in Caracas or in the Miranda State or in Tachira,
05:07but also is being held elections of governor the first time in the Guayanese Kiva.
05:16Yeah.
05:16What can you tell us about it being the first time Venezuela is electing a governor there?
05:21Yeah, well, as far as the governor is concerned, of course, this is a very important test case.
05:27Let us hope that the Chavista governor wins there.
05:31It will be a ratification of the decision taken by the Venezuelan people in a sovereign way regarding that area that will be incorporated into the territory of Venezuela.
05:43I have a good feeling, even though I didn't visit it, I have a good feeling that this is how people vote for a governor
05:49that will follow in the footsteps of the referendum that took place to include that area into Venezuela.
05:57And, of course, there's also Miranda's also important.
06:00There's a Chavista governor now.
06:01Hopefully, the Chavista governor would be elected there.
06:06When I was there yesterday, it was very interesting.
06:08It's a very controversial neighborhood.
06:10It's very Chavista.
06:11The Chavista, at the same time, as you recall, during the elections, right after the elections on July 27th, the night of July 28th,
06:19there were disturbances, riots that took place, organized by the United States and their allies.
06:25And some of these disturbances took place from that area in Petati.
06:29So, hopefully, the Chavista trend will triumph over those who want to make trouble
06:35with regards to the results of the elections that are taking place today.
06:38Yeah, and also, the lessons, the lessons of these elections for not only Venezuelans
06:48or the extreme right for the world and the Latin America and the Caribbean,
06:52the lessons that Venezuela can give during these democratic processes being held today.
07:00Okay, let me just say one point.
07:01The United States or where I come from, Canada, their governments, they have no lessons, no moral authority
07:07to lecture Venezuela about elections and democracy.
07:12Like today, even before the election results are in, for example, I verified with the New York Times about two hours ago,
07:19they're already saying that the elections are fraud.
07:22And what do they give as they say?
07:24According to recognized international observers, they give the example.
07:29It's hidden in the article.
07:31You have to open it up to see.
07:33It's from the Carter Center.
07:34The Carter Center, previously, when Jimmy Carter was there, it did play a progressive role, a good role.
07:40They were objective.
07:41And he wrote, when they quote, when the New York Times quotes reliable sources,
07:48why don't they say that previously the Carter Center said, and that's written,
07:52that the most transparent, well-organized elections take place in Venezuela.
07:57Of course, a change took place, and someone who had very close ties with the CIA and USA has taken over the Carter Center.
08:05So they really don't have any moral authority to lecture Venezuela with regards to elections and the democratic process.
08:14But the government and the people are demonstrating and giving lessons to the world.
08:19Exactly. I think so.
08:21I mean, I'm prejudiced, but I think that Venezuela has lessons to give to all over the world with regards to elections and democracy.
08:29Well, thank you very much for being here with us today and teaching us more about this elections process
08:39and to analyze to the perspective of these elections and the Western perspective, too.
08:47Well, thank you very much.
08:49Thank you very much for having me.
08:50Thank you for being here.
08:53Well, like this, we are back to Alejandra in Havana, Cuba, to more information from the South.
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