#this is what happens when your hardware is just electrified meat

[thatswhatsushesaid]

re: that poll about inner voice and pronoun usage, i’ve come to the embarrassing conclusion that, unless i’m actively preparing to write my thoughts down, most of my thinking is essentially Abstract Idea (No Words, Maybe Images) + whatever ear worm melody is currently stuck in my head

which means that this week i for sure have mulled over vague, big-picture fix-it scenarios for xiyao while my internal radio station treated me to the tune of “potatoes and molasses” from ‘over the garden wall’ on repeat

[firethistime-venezuela2018-blog]

Explanation of voting machine technology by National Electoral Council (CNE) worker

May 19 Part One The early morning was warm, with clear skies over the mountains that surround Caracas. Our excitement for the coming day made the morning pass quickly, and soon the buses arrived to take us to one of the main buildings of the National Electoral Council (CNE).

None of us have ever been through any of the areas where we are driving. However, it is clear that our journey has begun in a wealthy area, many of the buildings are protected by electrified fences, and are built farther apart then many of those we passed when driving through the northern outskirts of Caracas yesterday. We begin to climb into the mountains, the streets narrow and the buildings are packed tight together.

The city of Caracas is surrounded by the state of Miranda, “like a donut” as a Venezuela community organizer explained on the bus. Soon, we are in the Sucre Municipality in Miranda looking down at Caracas - in front of a large building with lined with colourful blue loading bays, surrounded by a high fence. This is the CNE building. In this building the electronic voting machines are tested and verified - over 34,000 of them. The technicians of the CNE are there to demonstrate to us the verification process for the voting machines - all the way down to an inspection of the motherboards.

Presidential candidates list in Caracas

The same electronic voting machines are used in every area of the country - including the most rural areas. Where there is no network connection, the results from the machines can be uploaded using a telephone signal; where there is no telephone signal, they results can be saved on an external device and uploaded from a networked area. All of the electronic reports are audited against the paper copies of the vote, that are deposited by the voter in a ballot box.

It was incredible to be able to observe the verifications of the machines - and more so to imagine the millions of Venezuelans that will voting using these machines tomorrow. Here the vote will be universal, free, direct and secret, and to think that this is what the government of Canada refers to as an “illegitimate” election.

Mini version of election process

In the afternoon and evening we had to opportunity to hear presentations - that set the context for the vote happening tomorrow. The first, by a representative from the CNE in charge of voting centres in Caracas. She explained about the origins of the voting system in Venezuela today, starting from the passing of the 1999 Constitution of the Bolivarian revolution, which established the five independent branches of Venezuela’s government - the executive, the legislative, the judicial, the  citizens, and the electoral - the CNE.

As part of her presentation, she displayed photos of the right-wing violence that took place only 8 months ago, during the election of the National Constituent Assembly. During this election, counter-revolutionary mercenaries threw grenades at the offices of the CNE, forced the closure of voting centres, and destroyed ballot boxes and over 200 voting machines. No one that I have spoken to since we arrived is expecting this level of violence from the U.S.-backed opposition - but Venezuela is prepared, and the rights of the Venezuelan people to vote without fear of right-wing violence will be protected tomorrow.

Every Venezuelan that we have met has expressed tremendous pride in their voting system, and an excitement about tomorrow’s election that is nothing like what I have ever observed in Canada. It is apparent that in Venezuela, voting is not just a motion that someone is obliged to carry out, but a responsibility that is to be celebrated.

Now, a speech from Comandante Chavez, the former President of Venezuela and the leader of the Bolivarian revolution, who passed away in 2013, is playing on the TeleSUR, television station. Chavez is calling on the people of Venezuela, workers, students, women, intellectuals, soldiers, technicians, unions to unite in defense of the sovereignty and self-determination of Venezuela, as the international observers, and the people of Venezuela alike, begin to fall asleep in preparation for election day

May 19 Part Two Caracas woke up before I did. The cars were streaming in and out of the city,  and the now familiar hilltops looked down on us.

I'm not a fan of breakfast,  except when it's Venezuelan. Arepas (traditional thick corn patties), black beans, shredded beef and scrambled eggs. We didn't come here to eat,  but it was definitely a good start to a busy day.

Driving through the steep streets of the city there was fruit, eggs, meat, coffee and car parts on sale in many little storefronts.  There was election graffiti stenciled on a lot of public walls, and large public art dotting the different neighborhoods.

Thomas explaining voting process for a New York documentary film maker

The election simulation we went to was impressive.  Especially when the voting machine rejected my thumbprint the second time I was explaining the process to a documentary film maker from New York. Even the demonstration voting machines remember your thumbprint and won't let you vote twice!

Today was filled with a lot of presentations on the Venezuelan election system and the context it is taking place in. The amount of controls, verifications and observation they have is incredible.  This "dictatorship" has developed the most secure voting process in the world.

The presenters didn't hide the fact that there are shortages of some goods in Venezuela,  but pointed out that the most severe are always in processed or imported goods, where major corporations can control much more of the availability. It made sense why they fresh fruit and eggs were so readily available while cooking oil is harder to come by.  

Presentation on Venezuelan election system by the woman in charge of managing elections in Caracas

Public TV personality Miguel Perez Pirela made some really interesting points about the international media campaign against Venezuela.  He said even he has called home while traveling abroad, worried about some sort of civil war taking over the streets based on TV reports - only to find that there is nothing of the sort going on. He pointed out that despite constantly calling for a change in government,  the Venezuelan opposition has never been able to put together anything resembling a program for the future.

The streets are calm and we've seen weddings and First Communion parties taking place in our hotel. Television ads are constantly encouraging people to vote,  and explain the simple process.

Tomorrow is the big day and we've got to be on the road and headed to the voting centers by 5am. Voting won't stop until the last person in line has voted. Everyone is excited for a long day and the chance to see this system in action.

May 19 Part Three On our second day in Venezuela we awoke to a traditional Venezuelan breakfast to help prepare us for a visit to the Consejo Nacional Electoral (National Electoral Council in English) where the electoral voting machines are held.

On the way to the CNE we drove through Miranda district where the colorful barrio homes lined the mountainside and eventually made our way to the CNE. Upon our arrival we were greeted by the friendly staff members of the CNE as they guided the various groups through the entrance to the multiple testing stations that were setup to simulate voting. Talking to the CNE staff you really feel the pride Venezuelans have in their voting system as they describe in great detail the various procedures and answer the many questions we had about voting in Venezuela. I have never heard someone explain hardware as enthusiastically as the technician that described to us the inner workings of the voting machines.

Mock vote receipt with Maduro and the PSUV slate

They later took us on a tour of the museum that showed the history of Venezuela's electoral process starting from a manual system (paper ballot) to the fully automated system that is currently in use in Venezuela.

Before departing back to the hotel, we met with Dominica's Ambassador to CARICOM (Caribbean Community) along with various representatives from other Caribbean countries that are participating as electoral observers. They we're excited to receive copies of Fire This Time and we talked about the govenment of Canada's hostile approach to  Venezuela. Many of them spoke highly of Venezuela's electoral system and also about the growing friendship and solidarity between Caribbean countries and Venezuela, which was emphasized by the late Comandante Hugo Chavez.

We are excited to see Venezuela's electoral process first hand tomorrow, especially after what we've seen today. Today was the dress rehearsal and tomorrow is the big show!

Alison being interviewed by Resumen magazine from Argentina