Venezuela: Calls for calm ahead of vote audit

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has directly appealed to all sides, following the Venezuelan Presidential Election down to the wire result, for calm, common sense and understanding. James Blears reports on the message, specifically aimed at stabilizing a volatile ongoing situation.


An audit of Venezuela's oh so tight Presidential Election result is underway, but officials are stressing that it won't change the result which stands.
With continuing tension and uncertainty, his Holiness message calls on everyone to reject violence. He refers to the beloved Venezuela people, urging all to establish a dialogue based on truth and mutual recognition. He also says it's his hope that just and peaceful ways are found to overcome what he terms the serious difficulties Venezuela is going through.
Over the next month Venezuela's Electoral Council will scrutinize 46 percent of the votes via an audit of twelve thousand ballot boxes. Opposition leader Henrique Capriles who lost by 1.8 percent, insists that there are more than three thousand voting irregularities.
The closeness of the Election, means that Venezuela is split almost exactly down the middle. Cool and calm is needed and democracy must prevail.