2006年VOA标准英语-Venezuelan Officials Promise Free, Fair Preside

By Michael Bowman
Caracas
30 November 2006

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez at reelection campaign rally 26 Nov 2006

Days before Venezuelans cast ballots² in Sunday's presidential election, officials are attempting to reassure³ the public that voting will be free and fair. VOA's Michael Bowman reports from Caracas, many who oppose President Hugo Chavez' reelection bid profess⁴ bitter memories from previous democratic exercises, and say they have concerns about the current election, as well.

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In his final campaign speech in Caracas, President Chavez went out of his way to welcome international observers that will be monitoring Sunday's balloting⁵, and pledged to respect the final results when reported by Venezuela's National Electoral Council.

He said, "We will have complete respect for the independence and impartiality⁷ of our electoral arbiter⁸. The arbiter will be recognized by the government and the people because we support the strengthening of our democratic institutions."

In a Caracas shopping mall, Chavez supporter Andrea Gomez says she has absolute faith in the integrity of the vote. "The vote will be clean, I am completely convinced of it. I have spoken with people who are involved [in the elections] and who are impartial⁶, and they have told me that I can be rest assured. What is more, I am not afraid because I am completely sure of my vote. I will vote for the president," she said.

With most polls heavily favoring the self-proclaimed socialist⁹ president, Gomez' tranquility is, perhaps, not surprising. Yet speak to virtually any Chavez opponent, and you get a different response.

"Conducting elections with electronic balloting systems allows the person who controls the data to manipulate them. Can I trust the results 100 percent ? No, because I know they can be altered," said Andres Esquivel, a computer programmer and supporter of opposition¹⁰ candidate Manuel Rosales.

For years, Venezuela's opposition has cried foul¹¹ about the way balloting is conducted. In 2004, the opposition alleged¹² widespread fraud in a recall referendum aimed at ousting¹³ Mr. Chavez from office. Official results showed 58 percent of the electorate¹⁴ rejecting the measure.

The following year, the opposition boycotted¹⁶ legislative¹⁷ elections, saying the vote was a sham¹⁸. As a result, Chavez allies now occupy all seats in Venezuela's National Assembly.

Just months ago, polls showed many Chavez opponents intended to boycott¹⁵ this year's presidential vote, as well. But the emergence¹⁹ of a strong presidential challenger, former state governor Rosales, has breathed new life into the opposition and prompted many to abandon thoughts of a boycott.

Yet voting concerns remain, a fact that forces the Rosales campaign to walk a fine line. On the one hand, staffers want all Rosales supporters to show up and cast ballots -- and therefore must appear optimistic that voting will be free and fair. On the other hand, they cannot ignore the skepticism that exists within their ranks.

"We have clearly stated that if conditions exist that allow us to certify²⁰ every stage of the election and we lose by just one vote, we will recognize Chavez' victory. But if we cannot verify the results, then we cannot recognize them," said Gerardo Blyde, a Rosales campaign advisor²¹.

Chavez opponents well-remember that, after the 2004 referendum, the names of many who voted to remove the president were publicly divulged²². Some of those identified later claimed to have lost their jobs, been denied credit, or faced other forms of retribution.

Weeks ago, the head of Venezuela's state-owned oil monopoly, Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez, was secretly videotaped telling his workers that anyone who did not support President Chavez should resign.

What some see as intimidation²³ tactics by the Chavez administration have become a campaign issue for Rosales. "When I was a mayor and then governor, nowhere was anyone asked their political affiliation²⁴ or how they voted. There was respect for the vote, and that is how it will be in Venezuela with a new government," Rosales said at a recent campaign stop.

Venezuelan election officials insist any concerns about Sunday's presidential vote are unwarranted. German Yepes, a director of the National Electoral Council, says opposition representatives as well as international observers will have complete access to every phase of the balloting process. "There is no danger of the secrecy²⁵ of the ballot¹ box being violated. There is no way anyone can find out who voted for whom. There is no way that the results can be adulterated. There is no way to interfere²⁶ with the transmission of election results," he said.

Yepes adds that the National Electoral Council is investigating Energy Minister Ramirez' directive that oil workers back the president. He says the probe will be completed next month -- after the election.

At a Caracas coffee shop, graphic²⁷ designer Fernando Hernandez shrugs²⁸ when asked about Sunday's vote. "One has to fulfill²⁹ one's obligation to vote. But the reality is that guaranteeing there will be no fraud is very difficult. In this country, it is very difficult," he said.

1 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

2 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 reassure   

v.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• This seemed to reassure him and he continued more confidently.这似乎使他放心一点，于是他更有信心地继续说了下去。
• The airline tried to reassure the customers that the planes were safe.航空公司尽力让乘客相信飞机是安全的。

4 profess   

v.声称，冒称，以...为业，正式接受入教，表明信仰

参考例句：

• I profess that I was surprised at the news.我承认这消息使我惊讶。
• What religion does he profess?他信仰哪种宗教？

5 balloting   

v.（使）投票表决( ballot的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Clark took a commanding leading in the early balloting. 在最初投票时，克拉克遥遥领先。 来自辞典例句
• The balloting had stagnated, he couldn't win. 投票工作陷于停顿，他不能得胜。 来自辞典例句

6 impartial   

adj.(in,to)公正的，无偏见的

参考例句：

• He gave an impartial view of the state of affairs in Ireland.他对爱尔兰的事态发表了公正的看法。
• Careers officers offer impartial advice to all pupils.就业指导员向所有学生提供公正无私的建议。

7 impartiality   

n. 公平, 无私, 不偏

参考例句：

• He shows impartiality and detachment. 他表现得不偏不倚，超然事外。
• Impartiality is essential to a judge. 公平是当法官所必需的。

8 arbiter   

n.仲裁人，公断人

参考例句：

• Andrew was the arbiter of the disagreement.安德鲁是那场纠纷的仲裁人。
• Experiment is the final arbiter in science.实验是科学的最后仲裁者。

9 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

10 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

11 foul   

adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规

参考例句：

• Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。
• What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气！

12 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

13 ousting   

驱逐( oust的现在分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• The resulting financial chaos led to the ousting of Bristol-Myers' s boss. 随后引发的财政混乱导致了百时美施贵宝的总裁下台。
• The ousting of the president has drawn widespread criticism across Latin America and the wider world. 洪都拉斯总统被驱逐时间引起拉丁美洲甚至全世界的广泛批评。

14 electorate   

n.全体选民；选区

参考例句：

• The government was responsible to the electorate.政府对全体选民负责。
• He has the backing of almost a quarter of the electorate.他得到了几乎1/4选民的支持。

15 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

16 boycotted   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Athletes from several countries boycotted the Olympic Games. 有好几国的运动员抵制奥林匹克运动会。
• The opposition party earlier boycotted the Diet agenda, demanding Miyaji's resignation. 反对党曾杯葛国会议程，要宫路下台。

17 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

18 sham   

n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的)

参考例句：

• They cunningly played the game of sham peace.他们狡滑地玩弄假和平的把戏。
• His love was a mere sham.他的爱情是虚假的。

19 emergence   

n.浮现，显现，出现，（植物）突出体

参考例句：

• The last decade saw the emergence of a dynamic economy.最近10年见证了经济增长的姿态。
• Language emerges and develops with the emergence and development of society.语言是随着社会的产生而产生，随着社会的发展而发展的。

20 certify   

vt.证明，证实；发证书(或执照)给

参考例句：

• I can certify to his good character.我可以证明他品德好。
• This swimming certificate is to certify that I can swim one hundred meters.这张游泳证是用以证明我可以游100米远。

21 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

22 divulged   

v.吐露，泄露( divulge的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He divulged nothing to him save the terrible handicap of being young. 他想不出个所以然来，只是想到自己年纪尚幼，极端不利。 来自辞典例句
• The spy divulged the secret plans to the enemy. 那名间谍把秘密计划泄漏给敌人。 来自辞典例句

23 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

24 affiliation   

n.联系，联合

参考例句：

• There is no affiliation between our organization and theirs,even though our names are similar.尽管两个组织的名称相似，但我们之间并没有关系。
• The kidnappers had no affiliation with any militant group.这些绑架者与任何军事组织都没有紧密联系。

25 secrecy   

n.秘密，保密，隐蔽

参考例句：

• All the researchers on the project are sworn to secrecy.该项目的所有研究人员都按要求起誓保守秘密。
• Complete secrecy surrounded the meeting.会议在绝对机密的环境中进行。

26 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

27 graphic   

adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的

参考例句：

• The book gave a graphic description of the war.这本书生动地描述了战争的情况。
• Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons.用图标来区分重要的文本项。

28 shrugs   

n.耸肩（以表示冷淡，怀疑等）( shrug的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany shrugs off this criticism. 匈牙利总理久尔恰尼对这个批评不以为然。 来自互联网
• She shrugs expressively and takes a sip of her latte. 她表达地耸肩而且拿她的拿铁的啜饮。 来自互联网

29 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。