| The State Department said Wednesday the United | | | | of a lack of confidence in the Venezuelan electoral |
| States had no part in a decision by three Venezuelan | | | | system's transparency, and ability to guarantee the |
| opposition parties to withdraw from congressional | | | | secrecy of the vote, and he said other parties also |
| elections on Sunday. Venezuelan President Hugo | | | | have misgivings: |
| Chavez alleges the pull-out is part of a U.S. | | | | "Some parties have decided to remain in the race |
| destabilization effort. | | | | while other parties have yet to announce a final |
| The State Department says the United States was | | | | decision on participation. Venezuelans like all people |
| not involved in the decision by the Venezuelan parties | | | | have a right to free and fair elections. We are |
| to pull out of the election race, but does say it | | | | concerned that this right is increasingly in jeopardy |
| shares concerns in the country about the fairness of | | | | and we will continue to support the Venezuelan |
| the electoral process. | | | | peoples' effort to advance transparent electoral |
| Search Engine Marketing Specialist | | | | processes and safeguard their basic political and civil |
| Since 1995 SEO/SEM tools, training, and professional | | | | rights," he said. |
| "full service" Search Engine Marketing help at very | | | | The partial opposition pullout is expected to allow Mr. |
| affordable rates. | | | | Chavez' leftist party to strengthen its control of the |
| The three parties, including two which played leading | | | | national assembly. |
| roles in the country's governance before Mr. Chavez | | | | The United States has been a critic of what it sees |
| took office in 1998, announced their decision to drop | | | | as Mr. Chavez' increasingly heavy handed rule, and |
| out of the election on Tuesday. They cited concerns | | | | association with Cuba's President Fidel Castro. |
| about errors in the official voter registry and the | | | | Mr. Chavez in turn, despite U.S. denials, has accused |
| reliability of electronic voting machines. | | | | Washington of having backed the military coup that |
| The move drew immediate criticism from Mr. Chavez, | | | | briefly drove him from office in 2002, and of |
| who called it an act of political sabotage aimed at | | | | bankrolling the unsuccessful recall campaign against |
| discrediting his government. He also said the United | | | | him last year. |
| States had encouraged the pullout, which he depicted | | | | The tension in relations was reflected in an incident |
| as the start of a U.S. destabilization effort. | | | | earlier this week, when a U.S. Congressional |
| The denial of U.S. involvement came from State | | | | delegation decided to leave the Caracas airport for |
| Department Spokesman Sean McCormack. | | | | home after having been refused permission to |
| He said the three parties acted on their own because | | | | disembark in a 90-minute standoff. |