who signed a petition for a 2004 recall referendum against then-President Hugo Chávez Origin and Purpose
: The list was published on the personal website of National Assembly member Luis Tascón Government Role
: President Chávez requested the National Electoral Council (CNE) to provide copies of the signatures to Tascón, ostensibly to verify "mega-fraud" by the opposition. Data Included
: The database contained full names, identity card numbers ( ), dates of birth, and in some versions, even fingerprints. Consequences of the List The publication of this data led to widespread reports of political discrimination and persecution in Venezuela: Mass Dismissals
: Thousands of public sector employees were fired after being identified on the list. Blacklisting
: Signatories were often denied government jobs, social benefits, and official documents like passports. Maisanta Program
: The data was later integrated into a more sophisticated software program called "Maisanta," used by the government to cross-reference the political loyalty of job applicants. Legal Rulings Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR)
condemned the Venezuelan state for using the list as an instrument of political discrimination. The court found that it violated the political rights and freedom of expression of those who had sought to exercise their constitutional right to a referendum. Current Status of the PDF/Full List
"Lista Tascón" (Tascón List) refers to a public database published in 2004 containing the names, national identity numbers (
), and fingerprints of over 2.4 million Venezuelan citizens who signed a petition for a recall referendum against then-President Hugo Chávez.
While originally presented as a tool to verify signatures against "fraud," it became an instrument for systematic political discrimination, leading to mass dismissals from the public sector and exclusion from state benefits. Human Rights Watch Historical Context and Publication The 2004 Referendum: lista tascon pdf full
In 2003 and 2004, opposition groups gathered millions of signatures to trigger a constitutionally allowed recall referendum against President Chávez. Creation of the List: Congressman Luis Tascón
obtained photocopies of the signatures from the National Electoral Council (CNE) at the request of President Chávez. Public Release:
Tascón published the database on his personal website in February 2004, enabling anyone to check if a specific person had signed against the president. Human Rights Watch Impact and Consequences The list's publication enabled "official sectarianism," with severe real-world impacts for signers: Employment Discrimination:
Thousands of public servants were fired or denied jobs in government ministries, public hospitals, and state-owned companies like Denial of Services:
Some citizens reported being denied official documents (like passports or IDs), student grants, and even basic social services because their names appeared on the list. The "Maisanta" Evolution:
Although Chávez called to "bury" the list in 2005, it was largely integrated into more sophisticated software known as Comando Maisanta
, which cross-referenced voter political profiles for government use. Human Rights Watch Legal Rulings In 2018, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (Corte IDH)
condemned Venezuela for the discriminatory use of the list, ruling that the dismissal of civil servants for signing the petition violated their political rights and freedom of expression. The court ordered the state to investigate and compensate victims, though Venezuelan authorities have largely ignored these directives. Prodavinci II. Political Discrimination - Human Rights Watch
The Tascón List (Spanish: Lista Tascón) is one of the most controversial documents in modern Venezuelan history. It is a database containing the names, national identity numbers (cédulas), and signatures of millions of Venezuelans who supported a recall referendum against then-President Hugo Chávez in 2003 and 2004. While originally compiled for electoral verification, it became an instrument of systemic political discrimination and persecution. Origin and Publication
The list originated during the 2003–2004 push by the Venezuelan opposition to trigger a recall referendum against President Chávez. who signed a petition for a 2004 recall
Collection of Signatures: Between 2003 and 2004, over 2.4 million signatures were collected to activate the referendum.
Luis Tascón’s Role: Luis Tascón, a member of the National Assembly and the ruling party, obtained the signatures from the National Electoral Council (CNE).
Online Release: Tascón published the database on his personal website, claiming it was a tool for citizens to verify their signatures and prevent fraud. Impact and Political Discrimination
Once public, the list was allegedly used by the Venezuelan government to identify and punish those who had signed against the president.
Mass Dismissals: Thousands of public sector employees were reportedly fired from government ministries, state-owned companies like PDVSA, and the armed forces.
Blacklisting: Individuals on the list faced significant hurdles in obtaining government jobs, contracts, or basic state services like passports and national identity cards.
The "Maisanta" Evolution: The Tascón List was later incorporated into a more sophisticated software program known as the Maisanta Program, which included detailed political profiles of over 12 million Venezuelan voters. Legal and Human Rights Consequences
The use of the list sparked international condemnation and long-term legal battles.
Chávez's "Bury It" Order: In 2005, following widespread international criticism, Hugo Chávez publicly called for officials to "bury the Tascón list", acknowledging its discriminatory use.
IACHR Ruling: In 2018, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that Venezuela had used the list to politically discriminate against its citizens, violating their right to political participation and freedom of expression. Check File Size: The full "Lista Tascon" is
Continued Use: Despite orders to "bury" it, reports as late as 2016 and 2024 suggest the list—or newer iterations like the "Patria" system—continues to be used to screen for political loyalty in government programs and employment. II. Political Discrimination - Human Rights Watch
Note: This guide is for informational and research purposes only. The "Lista Tascon" is a historical document regarding Venezuelan political history.
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Citizens involved in lawsuits want to see who might be appointed to handle their assets or provide decisive testimony. For example, in a divorce case, the mediator assigned could impact the outcome.
Two opposing views dominate the discussion:
The discrimination was so blatant that it eventually forced a response from the highest levels of government.
The creation of the Lista Tascon stems from Article 8 of the Law of the Council of the Judiciary (Ley Orgánica del Consejo de la Judicatura) and Article 12 of the Regulations for the Judicial Auxiliary Service. The TSJ’s Constitutional Chamber determined that a unified, mandatory, and public list was necessary to:
The list is updated annually, though in practice, updates have been irregular due to administrative delays.
Even today, Venezuelan migrants in Colombia, Peru, and the US report that their cédula numbers are flagged in unofficial databases used by Venezuelan consulates for passport renewals — a direct legacy of the Tascón list.
At the time, publishing the list was not explicitly illegal. Venezuelan data protection laws were weak or unenforced. The government did not condemn Tascón's actions. In fact, many state entities used the list to vet employees.