This collection consists of documents relating to the recall referendum against Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez on August 15, 2004. Efforts to initiate a referendum on the mandate of President Chávez began in 2003 when the non-government organization Súmate, whose interests include monitoring elections in Venezuela, organized a nationwide signature collection for nine petitions. These petitions included one for Chávez’s recall and another for a constitutional amendment to shorten the President’s term to four years. After a court battle to determine the validity of a number of signatures necessary to meet the constitutional requirement, the referendum was held on August 15, 2004. This collection includes documents concerning the prosecution of some members of Súmate, including María Corina Machado, accused of treason and conspiracy in connection with the referendum and its receipt of funding from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).
-Signature Collection Campaign Surpasses Expectations
[134 Kb]
-Venezuela: Political Update February 20
[118 Kb]
-Venezuela Political Update, May 5, 2002
[118 Kb]
-U.S. Becomes GOV Whipping Boy
[107 Kb]
-Venezuelan Governors: Budget, Security and CNE
[65 Kb]
-Venezuela: Recall Referendum Under Fire
[136 Kb]
-The CNE at 30 Days: Under Fire But Working
[114 Kb]
-Codel Ballenger's Meeting with Venezuelan President Chavez
[96 Kb]
-Intimidation and Recrimination Surround Signature Drives
[131 Kb]
-The "Nuts and Bolts" of the Recall Petition Drives
[214 Kb]
-Venezuela: Opposition Begins Signature Drive Against Chavez
[116 Kb]
-After the Reafirmazo: Next Steps
[146 Kb]
-PDAS Deshazo Visits
[96 Kb]
-Drawing Lines for the Signature Verification Battle
[74 Kb]
-Opposition Readies Recall Signatures for Delivery
[102 Kb]
-Opposition Delivers 3.4 Million Signatures to CNE
[49 Kb]
-Fidel Buttresses Hugo During Holiday Drop-By
[117 Kb]
-One Step Forward, Two Steps Back on Signature Count
[156 Kb]
-Human Rights Strategy for Venezuela
[157 Kb]
-Venezuela Political Update: 2/11/2004
[130 Kb]
-Signature Count Faces Rocky Week
[103 Kb]
-DAS Deshazo Presses Signature Count with VP Rangel
[147 Kb]
-Chavez Accuses USG of Funding "Coupmongers"
[66 Kb]
-Sumate Scrubs the CNE'S Preliminary Results
[92 Kb]
-Gov Damage Control Overwhelmed by Barrage of International Criticism
[127 Kb]
-Capriles, CNE and CEV: Venezuela Political Update April 2, 2004
[94 Kb]
-Court Battle Clouds CNE Signature Talks
[72 Kb]
-Venezuelan Opposition Green Lights Signature Appeals Process
[106 Kb]
-Venezuela: Potential Fraud in the Appeals Process
[121 Kb]
-CNE Showdown with OAS and Carter Center
[116 Kb]
-Venezuela: Signature Appeals Update
[104 Kb]
-Venezuela: Presidential Signature Appeals Update
[113 Kb]
-Media Reaction: Reaction to Signature Verification (Reparos) Process for the Presidential Recall Referendum Petition
[194 Kb]
-Venezuela: Signature Appeals Update, June 1
[110 Kb]
-Status of Capriles and Sumate Cases
[112 Kb]
-Ambassador's Trip to Maracaibo
[87 Kb]
-Ambassador Meets with Sumate Leaders
[65 Kb]
-The Chavez, Carter, Cisneros Rumor Mill
[57 Kb]
-Opposition Finally Launches Presidential Recall Campaign Committee
[65 Kb]
-WHA Guidance, July 12, 2004
[63 Kb]
-The White House
[37 Kb]
-Venezuela's Recall Referendum: Obstructions and Observers
[75 Kb]
-Opposition Unites Behind Governance Accord
[110 Kb]
-WHA Guidance, July 30, 2004
[105 Kb]
-Venezuelan Presidential Referendum
[62 Kb]
-Venezuelan Referendum Update: August 9
[121 Kb]
-Demarche on Venezuelan Presidential Referendum
[103 Kb]
-Venezuelan Referendum Update: August 11
[89 Kb]
-Rice Letter on Sumate Gets Attention
[110 Kb]
-Chavez Declares Referendum Victory - So Does Opposition
[100 Kb]
-Venezuela: No Closer to Acceptance of Gov Victory by Opposition
[139 Kb]
-Venezuelan Referendum Update: August 18
[92 Kb]
-Opposition Alleges Electronic Fraud in Referendum
[109 Kb]
-WHA Guidance, August 20, 2004
[75 Kb]
-WHA Guidance, August 23-24, 2004
[171 Kb]
-Venezuela: Opposition Fights Back on Fraud
[130 Kb]
-Venezuela: CNE Discards Fraud Challenges
[152 Kb]
-WHA Guidance, October 8, 2004
[166 Kb]
-Venezuela's Regional Elections: Coming to an End
[121 Kb]
-Sumate Case to Go Forward, But Slowly
[65 Kb]
-Venezuela
[150 Kb]
-WHA Guidance, January 27, 2005
[193 Kb]
-Venezuela
[143 Kb]
-Sumate's Public Concerns
[69 Kb]
-Chavez Calls for End to Black Listing: Opposition Doesn't Buy It
[132 Kb]
-Venezuelan Political Prosecutions Update
[157 Kb]
-Congressional Record - House
[112 Kb]
-Center for International Human Rights
[68 Kb]
