News: Opposition

Venezuelan Opposition Calls on Supporters to be Vigilant of Electoral “Fraud”

Sep 28th 2012

"Operation Watch Out" is being circulated by the opposition (archives)

Ramón Guillermo Aveledo, the Executive Secretary of the Venezuelan opposition coalition, the Roundtable of Democratic Unity (MUD), has added to existing concerns that the political organisation will not recognise the official outcome of the October presidential elections by stating that the MUD will only respect results that they consider to be “trustworthy”.

Colombian President Santos Meets with Venezuelan Opposition Leader

Sep 21st 2012

Capriles met with Santos in Bogota on Wednesday (noticierodigital)

Venezuelan opposition leader, Henrique Capriles Radonski, who will challenge current president Hugo Chavez to the presidency in October, flew to Colombia on Wednesday where he took part in a “strictly” private meeting with the country's president, Manuel Santos.

Venezuelan Presidential Elections: One Contestant Withdraws, Further Internal Opposition Criticism

Sep 18th 2012

Hermann Escarra is the third member of the opposition to denounce its real government plan (archive)

As the presidential elections draw closer, there have been some further developments, with one candidate, Yoel Acosta Chirinos, withdrawing, and another opposition leader, Hermann Escarra, publically criticising the opposition coalition MUD’s government plan as “unconstitutional”.

Capriles Sacks Top Aide amid Opposition Bribery Accusations in Venezuela

Sep 14th 2012

The secretly recorded video, played to journalists yesterday, shows Capriles’s campaign aide, Juan Carlos Caldera, accepting p

A video has emerged of a top campaign aide of Venezuelan opposition candidate Henrique Capriles Radonski covertly accepting 40,000 bolivars (US $9,300) and offering to set up a meeting between Capriles and an unknown businessman.

Venezuelan Opposition “Falling to Pieces” as Four Parties Withdraw Electoral Support

Sep 12th 2012

Leonardo Chirinos announced that his party and three others would withdraw their support for opposition candidate Henrique Capri

Four small organisations withdrew their support yesterday for the opposition candidate to the upcoming presidential elections, Henrique Capriles.

Electoral Campaign in Venezuela Advances, Chavez Rejects Opposition's Neoliberal Package

Sep 11th 2012

Chavez has been travelling Venezuela as part of his election campaign (noticierodigital)

Current Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has strongly criticised a leaked document from the country's political opposition, the MUD, (Roundtable of Democratic Unity) which proposes a number of privatisations and the elimination of many of the present government's social programs. The Venezuelan head of state made the comments at a political rally last Sunday in Charallave, in the opposition controlled Miranda state.

Venezuelan Opposition Legislator Decries MUD “Hidden Agenda”, Expelled Hours Later

Sep 7th 2012

Opposition lawmaker William Ojeda was expelled from his A New Time (UNT) party a few hours after his public criticism of a “hi

Opposition legislator William Ojeda yesterday criticised a “hidden agenda” of the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) opposition coalition. He was expelled from his political party a few hours later.

Chavez: Venezuelan Opposition 'Aggression Against the People'

Sep 7th 2012

Chavez speaking to an assembly of workers in Vargas state last week (ojopelao.com)

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez described the program of the opposition presidential candidate Henriques Capriles Radonski, running for the right-wing Roundtable for Unity (MUD) coalition, as "an aggression against the Venezuelan people."

More than 1.8 Million Venezuelans Turn out to Vote in Election Run-Through

Sep 4th 2012

Queuing to vote in Carapita, Caracas (Rachael Boothroyd - Venezuelanalysis)

Over 10% of Venezuela's 18.9 million registered voters turned out to take part in an election day practice-run on Sunday, which allowed the country's citizens to try out voting machines at electoral centres across the country.

Venezuelan Opposition Economic Plan to Roll Back Public Services Revealed

Aug 24th 2012

Independent politician David de Lima accused the presidential campaign of Henrique Capriles Radonski for the MUD coalition of pr

An internal document has been leaked to Venezuelan press revealing the economic policy of Venezuela's political opposition, the Roundtable of Democratic Unity (MUD), should they win the presidential elections in October. The plan includes the deregulation of banks, opening up the economy to private investment and the reduction of state funding for public services and communal council projects.

Venezuelan Opposition Sticks up Signs to Scare Caracas Small Businesses

Aug 21st 2012

The posters were found stuck to businesses around Caracas on Monday morning (Cortesia CCS).

A range of shops and kiosks located on University Avenue, in the centre of Caracas, woke up on Monday to posters that read “this could be expropriated”, part of a propaganda campaign of intimidation by the opposition in the lead up to the 7 October presidential elections.

Venezuelan Opposition: “No More Preferential Oil Deals”

Aug 2nd 2012

Capriles said that oil-rich Venezuela would not give away even “one drop” of “free oil” to other countries if he were el

In his first public statement on his prospective oil policy were he to be elected, opposition candidate Capriles Radonski said that he would put an end to Venezuela’s current preferential oil deals with governments abroad, in favour of spending the revenue from the country’s petroleum industry on domestic “social programs”.

Presidential Candidates Sign Electoral Agreement for “Democracy”

Jul 19th 2012

MUD representative, Juan Carlos Caldera, signed the document on behalf of Capriles (cne.gov.ve)

Candidates for the Venezuelan presidential elections signed an agreement drafted by the National Electoral Committee (CNE) on Tuesday, obliging candidates to “respect the laws which regulate the electoral process” and to “recognise the results” announced by the CNE in October.

Former Colombian Senator Accuses Henrique Capriles of Paramilitary Ties

Jul 2nd 2012

Piedad Cordoba (EPA)

Colombian ex-senator and peace activist Piedad Cordoba accused Venezuelan presidential candidate Henrique Capriles of receiving paramilitary support.

Extreme Right of Opposition “Planning a Boycott” of Elections, Says Venezuela’s Chávez

Jun 19th 2012

President Hugo Chávez speaking on public television yesterday via telephone (VTV).

President Hugo Chávez said yesterday that he has become aware of a “hidden” plan by the extreme right of the opposition to “boycott” or not recognise the results of the 7 October presidential elections.