Las Ultimas Noticias Eleazar Diaz Rangel says he is skeptical about the recall referendum and suggests that firstly President Chavez Frias, government State Governors and mayors whose mandate could be revoked are against and will not lift a finger to promote the event. 

Secondly, even if the National Assembly (AN) finally agrees  on the composition of the new National Electoral College (CNE) board, the drawn out selection process has delayed the start of recall procedures and more important still, has discouraged people originally in favor. 

The problem of signatures, the editor says, could be decisive. The Sumate January signature campaign was considered an outstanding success but inside the opposition itself there were voices doubting the validity of the signatures. The new CNE will have to decide on the issue, even though it would seem that the signatures may have to be collected again. 

The problem facing Sumate in a new signature campaign is that conditions have changed after the national stoppage failure. Opposition leadership has suffered in credibility and the latest rallies and marches have been poorly attended. "It will not be easy to collect 20% of signatures needed to request a recall referendum."

Diaz Rangel also questions other suppositions and asks how will the government respond at opposition attempts to mobilize 4 million voters. It could call its supporters NOT to vote and with 70% of poor people that would be noticeable. 

President Chavez Frias could order a NO vote. What would happen if the NO votes win? The opposition is currently no longer convinced that it can do it and seems to have turned its attention to State Government, municipal and local council elections in July 2004 that do not need a collection of signatures.

Referring to a Venezuela Episcopal Conference (CEV) statement before opening its ordinary assembly session calling for a recall referendum as the only guarantee of peace, the editor asks an awkward question: if Chavez Frias isn't recalled, will there be peace? It seems that the bishops believe that the President will lose the referendum. 

The position of visiting European Union (EU) parliamentarians is more on the ball, Diaz Rangel maintains, because of current levels of conflict in Venezuelan society. Instead of talking about referendums and elections, wouldn't it be better to insist on dialog, tolerance and mutual respect?