Carter Center delegation to follow Venezuelan opposition primaries

The Carter Center, a nongovernmental organization that works to advance human rights and democracy, announced on Thursday that a small study group will visit Venezuela to follow the opposition's primary elections that will be held on Sunday, February 12, 2012. Venezuelan voters will choose the presidential candidate who will face incumbent President Hugo Chávez in October.

"As Venezuela enters an important election year, The Carter Center will send a small study group of international experts" for primary elections, in response to an invitation from the Venezuelan opposition umbrella group Unified Democratic Panel (MUD), said in a statement the NGO created by former US President Jimmy Carter, AFP reported.

The Carter Center said that the study mission will not constitute an electoral observation delegation. The goal of the study group is "to collect opinions and to learn perspectives about the national electoral processes to be held this year."