Looking to the Venezuelan Presidential Elections

March 11, 2013

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Via the BBC: Venezuela opposition leader Capriles to stand in election

Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles has confirmed that he will stand in presidential elections on 14 April.

In a televised address, Mr Capriles accused the governing PSUV party of manipulating the recent death of Hugo Chavez.

Mr Chavez died on 5 March after a two-year battle against cancer.

Mr Capriles will stand against Acting President Nicolas Maduro, whom Mr Chavez named as his favoured successor.

The acting president went on state television minutes after the opposition leader’s appearance, accusing him of being a "fascist".

Well, at least the rhetoric is nice and lofty.

Regardless, given a variety of factors, not the least of which being the emotion generated by Chavez’s death, Capriles has little chance of beating Maduro in next month’s snap elections.

2 responses to “Looking to the Venezuelan Presidential Elections”

Ben Wolf

March 11, 2013 at 10:23 am

Capriles election would result in redistribution of wealth toward the already wealthy and the international oil industry. That’s basically the choice: continue Chavez’s policies which have resulted in reduced poverty and increased employment, or embraces the opposition’s neo-liberal economic agenda which promotes unemployment and declining living standards for all but a few.
de stijl

March 11, 2013 at 5:33 pm

The acting president went on state television minutes after the opposition leader’s appearance, accusing him of being a “fascist”.

Well, at least the rhetoric is nice and lofty.

Steven,

It is sort of shocking to see other countries adopt our political rhetoric isn’t it? It used to be shocking to us here until recently. Now it’s the coin of the realm.