The conflict caused by the differences between members of the Central Electoral Board (JCE) plenary is causing great concern among many sectors of society that are observing that as long as the president of the board, Roberto Rosario, does not put aside his “inflexible” and “arbitrary” attitude, there can be no solution in the medium term. Yesterday, Sunday 12 May, Senate president Reinaldo Pared Perez made three posts on his Twitter account @ReinaldoPared, in which he suggested that it is becoming necessary for the National Congress to conduct a detailed investigation of “the problem in the JCE.” “I am going to propose to the president of the Chamber of Deputies that we put together a joint commission in order to fully investigate the problem in the JCE,” he wrote, and he went on to say: “The public contradictions among the JCE members is reaching a level in which a profound investigation is necessary.” The big issue is the attempt by Roberto Rosario to change the JCE regulations and have substitutes attend, full-time, the meetings of the Plenary, in case one of the members is absent.
However, the A.M. editorial by Adriano Miguel Tejada in today’s edition of Diario Libre, Monday 13 May had a clear message: Hands off the JCE. This message was echoed by jurists and political scientists. Lawyers and political scientists consulted by Diario Libre all expressed concerns about the conflict, and warned that the National Congress should not suggest holding an impeachment proceeding.
Pedro Catrain, a political scientist and lawyer, said that Rosario’s attitude in his attempt to censor the titular dissident members Jose Angel Aquino and Eddy Olivares is arbitrary. He described as “dangerous” Rosario’s proposal to modify Article 10 of the JCE Regulations in order that the substitutes are permanently in session and that if the titular members do not come to the meeting room at the time set for a session, the quorum is completed with the substitutes. “The end of the conflict at the JCE is not on the horizon on the medium term, because it is not possible to negotiate with this inflexible attitude.”
Lawyer Cristobal Rodriguez warned that the right to be a dissident is constitutional and that the democratic systems should be respected. He invited the JCE president to put aside his attitude, because he does not have the right to impose his position at all times. “I want to ask that the Congress be prudent with its level of intervention.” In the meantime, lawyer Candido Simon Polanco believes that Rosario’s initiative sends a bad message because it can be observed that there is a vocation to “squash the dissident minority.”
Yesterday, Sunday 12 May Olivares said that he would present his position in writing to the Plenary regarding Rosario’s suggestion about the substitutes. He stated that “it is a very delicate issue,” and that he is hopeful “that the Board will follow institutionalism and that its leadership is democratic.”
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias/2013/05/13/i383320_vislumbran-fin-conflicto-junta-central-electoral-congreso-nacional-podria-investigarlo-fondo.html