Vendata.org updates its platform Memories and Accounts presenting new official data in open format on defense, oil, mining, ecosocialism and indigenous peoples. Previously, only the data of the entities belonging to the Citizen Power were found: the Comptroller's Office, the Prosecutor's Office and the Ombudsman's Office.

This new update seeks to revitalize the demand for the right of access to public information, advance awareness of this right contemplated in the constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and contribute to quality journalism that leverages the consolidation of a better informed, pluralistic and in which democratic deliberation is guaranteed.

Likewise, we make available data of value and public interest that can be used and enhanced for the scrutiny of public management as a natural exercise of control, social participation, transparency and the exercise of democracy. Academic institutions and civil society organizations, journalists, officials and citizens who wish to investigate or investigate the Venezuelan reality, will be able to access these databases supported by documents and management reports, which represent official data. From there they will be able to extract valuable and timely information on the management of four public entities in Venezuela.

they are not accountable

As part of this project, an attempt was made to empty the data contained in the reports and accounts, between 2012 and 2018, of the Ministry of Popular Power for Defense, Ministry of Popular Power for Ecosocialism and Water, Ministry of Popular Power for the Environment and Ministry of Popular Power for Oil. However, for three years the Venezuelan public entities have not presented their plans and results to the National Assembly or to the public.  

There are also memories and accounts that do not exist. For example, the Ministry of Defense did not publish its accounts for the years 2013 and 2014, nor the report and account for 2012.

In the case of the Ministry of Petroleum, there is the 2012 account, but not the memory. It was never published. The Ministry of Indigenous Peoples was the only one of the group that presented and published the 2016 report and account on its website. However, the account corresponding to 2015 does not exist.

For its part, the Ministry of Ecosocialism, when changing its name, published the 2017 report but not the account.

inconsistencies

We find, in all entities, errors or inconsistencies in the information provided. It can highlight cases of tables or graphs that are unreadable and could not be downloaded.

We also come across information on incompletely executed projects or data that does not have any type of numerical support, or that does not reveal the name of the officials in charge. Therefore, it is not known who is responsible for the executions.

On other occasions we saw information within the same memory and it tells that they contradict each other. For example, in the Memories and accounts of the Ministry of Popular Power for Oil and Mining 2011 (p. 896) and 2015 (p. 835). The same table and the information do not coincide, the one referring to the production of natural gas.

Another detail to consider is that in the period to be analyzed, 2012 to the present, there was a change in the monetary cone and Venezuela entered a hyperinflationary process that has been maintained until now. This complicated the analysis of the balance sheets and accounts published by entities related to defense, oil, mining, ecosocialism and indigenous peoples.

Although all the databases presented go through a single verification phase, each processing and systematization requires a constant review of the data and a detailed effort to organize the information. In addition, there are a number of data tables that had to be rejected because the information was considered incomplete or not of social or journalistic interest.

To view and download data go to Memories and Accounts