No sooner had the CNE (yesterday) approved the possibility of having the opposition have information centers near the locations where the people would go to ratify their signatures next weekend that the almost invisible Director of the CNE Oscar Battaglini informed the press that they will not be allowed. According to him, the Armed Forces has “confidential intelligence” that these centers could be the source of conflicts and confrontations.
The Coordinadora Democrática criticized the decision saying “They have begun to change the rules of the game” but they said they will carry out the project with 260,000 volunteers that will help people know whether they have to ratify their signature or not and where they have to do it.
Clearly, the order not to allow the information centers came from above as the Government becomes increasingly nervous that the opposition will get the required signatures despite the large number of tricks that have been used. The Government is simply terrified of the logistics prepared by the opposition to maximize the number of validated signatures.
The latest tricks besides not allowing these centers are: i) People are not only being told that they will be fired if they don’t withdraw their signature, but they are being told they have to find four more people to ratify their signature. ii) The CNE continues to show advertising that asks people to go and withdraw their signature, an act which is only legal if someone else signed for you.
It also makes you wonder if the quality of the military intelligence is as good as that which has been used to investigate the paramilitary force captured two weeks ago. Despite numerous detentions and raids, the Government has not been able to find any evidence against any opposition members. We all still wonder how 100 Colombian men managed to go from the border to Caracas without being detected. To make the matter even more hilarious, this unarmed force of under twenty one rural workers is being accused of destabilizing the Government and threatening Chavez’ life. With intelligence like that, this country is simply doomed.
The Devil's Excrement 
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