Capriles Suspends March in Caracas

HAVANA TIMES — Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles suspended the march scheduled for tomorrow to the National Electoral Council (CNE) in Caracas, where he will present documents to demand an audit of Sunday’s presidential election.

“I was warned that the government intends to infiltrate people into the march I had called at the CNE in Caracas (…) This is a struggle to know the truth (…) We are not going to rally tomorrow, I ask you [his supporters] not to come out. Whoever comes out is on the side of violence,” said Capriles, adding that “the government wants deaths. ”

The government candidate Nicolas Maduro was proclaimed president by the CNE on Monday amid opposition protests that do not recognize that he won with 50.75 percent of the vote (7,563,747) compared to 48.97 percent for Capriles (7,298,491).

“When I told him (Maduro) to recount the votes, he said he had to consult, with whom? With Raul Castro? With someone out there who we don’t know? That’s the problem of leadership that is not built, ” said Capriles.  He assured that the CNE and the government had accepted the audit process that he had requested: “The parties were in agreement but hours later everything changed.”

“Wherever you go, people are asking for the recount and they say that Capriles won,” said the opposition leader, who said that “if the government wants to be legitimate they must accept the recount.”

Capriles said that Venezuela is in “a political crisis” and that “all” they are asking for is that the recount take place. “Count the papers with the votes,” and compare them with the registration rolls and tally sheets. He also presented a long list of alleged irregularities.