Election date not clear ... National Electoral Council (CNE) stalls again

Caracas Daily Journal (Jeremy Morgan): The National Electoral Council (CNE) appears to be at odds over setting the date for this year's regional elections. No sooner had CNE Director Tibisay Lucena mentioned November 23, than up popped fellow director Vicente Díaz saying no "unanimous decision" had yet been taken on the election timetable.

Technicians at the CNE were still preparing the timetable, and any plan would first have to be submitted to the National Electoral Board (JNE) -- the agency which actually runs elections -- for revision and then returned to the CNE for final approval, Díaz said. Lucena, by the way, heads the JNE as well as the CNE.

• Be that as it may, she may have a problem on her hands with Díaz. While the CNE board is viewed with suspicion by the opposition, Díaz has emerged as its resident stickler for the rules.

Lucena chose not to respond immediately to Díaz, statements. Instead, she denied media reports that the CNE would not carry out voter audits.