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Oct
5
2012
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In Case You Missed It… Articles Roundup Week of 10/5/12

venezuela In Case You Missed It… Articles Roundup Week of 10/5/12

Courtesy of: AFP / Stringer

This Sunday’s Venezuelan election promises to have an impact far beyond the borders of Venezuela, defining not only the legacy of President Hugo Chávez, but also the future of his political movement in Latin America. It appears increasingly likely that opposition candidate Henrique Capriles can defeat Chávez, thanks to a strong finish to his campaign, while the normally vibrant Chávez has stumbled across the finish line. The supposed successes of Chávez’s policies have come under increased scrutiny lately, and evidence of massive government mismanagement and failed social programs is disillusioning Venezuelans. The country has given away money and oil to Cuba and Iran, among others, and these programs would likely be the first to go should Chávez lose. This is exciting investors, who are betting on a Capriles victory in hopes that he will rescue the oil industry and the country’s economy, dramatically increasing the value of its bonds. Regardless of the election’s outcome, the victor will face the difficult task of solving many deep-seated problems in the country, the result of years of waste and neglect.

Venezuelan elections about more than Hugo Chavez’s legacy, CNN

You can find the ideological divide in Venezuela at almost any gas station. A Hummer rolls in and fills up for just $2 and its owner gives a thumbs-up.

Trading Places, New York Times

With just three days to go in what is shaping up to be an extremely close race for the Venezuelan presidency, the campaign seems to have entered Bizarro World.

Massive Rally in Venezuela Underscores Opposition’s Electoral Strength, ABC News

On Sunday morning, rivers of people waving flags headed towards downtown Caracas, to see a speech by Venezuelan opposition candidate Henrique Capriles.

Huge Venezuela housing shortage an election worry, Business Recorder

Inside the garage of a Caracas shopping center, hundreds of families live in cubicle-like rooms, waiting for President Hugo Chavez to deliver on his promise to give every Venezuelan “dignified” housing.

What the visiting media won’t see when they come to Venezuela, Foreign Policy

With just 10 days to go to Venezuela’s presidential election on October 7, foreign media interest is just starting to pick up. But there’s one question that never fails to crop up: “Has Chávez really improved the lives of the poor?”

Venezuelan vote a high-stakes affair for Chavez allies, Chicago Tribune

Pedro Alvarez, who drives one of the thousands of ancient American cars that serve as taxis in Cuba, cannot bring himself to think about life without Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

Venezuela’s Capriles vows to help Colombia, cool ties with Iran, Reuters

Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles pledged to help C olombia in its peace talks with rebels and distance himself from Iran should he defeat President Hugo Chavez in an increasingly tight race ahead of Sunday’s election.

What could Venezuela vote mean for its oil industry?, Reuters

Chavez, 58, is seeking a new six-year term and accuses opposition challenger Henrique Capriles, a 40-year-old state governor, of seeking to reverse his self-styled socialist revolution.

Election test for Venezuela bond fans, Reuters

Investors who have been buying up Venezuelan bonds in hopes of an opposition victory in this weekend’s presidential election will be heartened by the results of a poll from Consultores 21 which shows Henrique Capriles having the edge on incumbent Hugo Chavez.

Uncertainty looms for victor in Venezuela, Financial Times

Several years ago, not quite halfway through his 14-year presidency, Hugo Chávez bought a new presidential jet. The $65m Airbus A319 had extravagant white leather interiors, paintings of national heroes hung on the cabin walls and folding seat-back trays with gold hinges. Critics of the Venezuelan president immediately dubbed it “the plane of shame”.

 
Oct
5
2012
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Tune in to What’s Next for Election Developments

Venezuela will hold its general elections this Sunday, October 7. President Hugo Chávez, seeking re-election to a third term, faces a strong challenge from the energetic opposition candidate Henrique Capriles. The run-up to the election has already been intriguing, with concerns about the president’s health, unexpected events on the campaign trail and an innovative and impressive strategy by the opposition. Thanks to his tireless campaign efforts, Capriles has surged into the lead in the polls in the last weeks and finds himself in a good position to defeat Chávez.

The results of the election will reverberate substantially, both in Latin America and around the world. It will serve as a referendum on Chávez’s socialist policies, which still have a following in the region. It will affect global oil markets, as Venezuela controls the largest proven reserves of oil in the world. And it will impact diplomatic relations with the United States, which have been strained since the beginning of the Chávez era. Most of all, the election matters to the Venezuelan people, who continue to struggle though blackouts, food shortages, insecurity and rampant inflation.

Check out WhatsNextVenezuela.com for the latest news over the weekend, as we will be reporting on the events leading up to and during the vote this Sunday.

 
Sep
4
2012
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What’s Next Venezuela Election Update: September 4, 2012

chavez capriles What’s Next Venezuela Election Update: September 4, 2012

Courtesy of: @milagrosblue for infoCIUDADANO

With just a month remaining before the presidential elections, Venezuela held a simulated election this weekend to practice before the real vote on October 7. Polls continue to differ in their predictions, but a close analysis shows opposition candidate Henrique Capriles on the rise and president Hugo Chavez in decline. Chavez’s support is likely to decrease further in light of the recent accident at the refinery in Amuay, as evidence points to a lack of proper maintenance as the cause of the explosion, which killed 42. This accident comes amid an already difficult month for Chavez’s government, which could have serious implications for the elections. Meanwhile, Capriles continues his vigorous campaign, trying to contrast himself with the sick Chavez, who has been increasingly absent from public view of late. Chavez’s government has also caused controversy in the campaign by banning an opposition ad that raises awareness about the nation’s crime problem. Meanwhile, the media continues to play puppet to the government in Venezuela, as it has become common for TV personalities to insult Henrique Capriles on-air.

Venezuela holds voting drill before heated presidential election, The Washington Post

Venezuela held a national voting drill Sunday ahead of the country’s October presidential vote, with President Hugo Chavez facing his toughest electoral challenge in more than 13 years in office.

Venezuelan pollsters weigh in on Chávez vs. Capriles battle for president, Christian Science Monitor

There is a little more than a month left to go before the next presidential election in Venezuela and the polls are just as murky as they were in July.

Venezuela oil refinery explosion: will PDVSA learn its lesson?, Financial Times

There’s never a good time for what is now being described as one of the world’s deadliest industrial disasters in recent memory, after a gas leak led to a terrifying explosion at Venezuela’s Amuay refinery.

Refinery Blast Casts Shadow Over Hugo Chavez’s Re-election Bid, Bloomberg

An explosion at Venezuela’s largest refinery that killed at least 48 people and injured dozens on Aug. 25 is threatening to cast a shadow over President Hugo Chavez’s re-election bid.

Venezuela’s Chavez faces new election threats, Miami Herald

It’s been a rough month for Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. In less than two weeks, he has had to deal with a deadly prison riot, a collapsing bridge, flooding, an embarrassing confrontation with steel workers on live TV and the country’s worst oil-industry disaster, which killed at least 41 and still has families digging through the rubble looking for loved ones.

Venezuela challenger Henrique Capriles highlights his vigor, Los Angeles Times

On a campaign visit here last month, presidential candidate Henrique Capriles ran through the streets of beach town Boca del Rio at breakneck speed with hundreds of supporters in tow.

Venezuelan electoral officials order political ad off the air, Chavez opponents cry foul, AP

Venezuelan electoral officials have ordered off the air a political ad that depicts the murder of a young man to highlight concerns about crime.

Insulting Hugo Chavez challenger is prime-time TV in Venezuela, LA Times

It’s prime-time TV in Venezuela and the host is saying that opposition presidential candidate Henrique Capriles, whose grandmother was a Holocaust survivor, is a Nazi and Hitler cultist.