By Chris Carlson - Venezuelanalysis.com, Dec 24th 2012
Venezuela’s opposition spent virtually all of 2012 on the road campaigning for political office, but they ended the year worse off than when they started, in part because of their own campaign tactics.
By Ewan Robertson - Venezuelanalysis.com, Dec 18th 2012
What does the 2012 regional election tell us about the current political situation in Venezuela and trends going into next year, including for the differing scenarios depending on whether Chavez will be able to assume his next presidential term?
By Jorge Martin - In Defence of Marxism , Dec 18th 2012
The regional elections came after the victory of Hugo Chávez in the October 7 presidential elections. Clearly, the defeat of the opposition on October 7, when they had convinced themselves they could win, had a demoralising effect amongst their ranks.
As pro-Chavez candidates celebrated their victories in 20 of 23 states in Sunday’s regional elections, opposition leaders attempted to explain what led to such an overwhelming defeat for their gubernatorial candidates.
With all votes counted to the point of results being irreversible, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela has won 20 states, and the opposition coalition, three states.
Campaigning for Venezuela’s state elections is now officially over, with both pro-government and opposition gubernatorial candidates holding final rallies to shore up support ahead of Sunday’s vote.
While polls show President Hugo Chavez’s United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) candidates for governors to be leading in most states, some tense situations are developing as both opposition and pro-Chavez forces are divided in some states, and the membership of both sides are criticising campaign strategies being employed.
Gubernatorial Candidate for Miranda, Elias Jaua, presented his plan to improve security in Venezuela’s second largest state on Monday as the former Vice President of the Chavez administration ramps up his campaign efforts in the race for leadership of the strategic regional entity.
Venezuelan Defence Minister Henry Rangel Silva has been announced as the United Socialist Party of Venezuela’s (PSUV) new candidate for Trujillo state in the upcoming state elections following grassroots opposition to the original candidate.
Governor of Miranda state and former opposition presidential candidate Henrique Capriles has come into conflict with his administrations’ public sector workers, as he and Chavez ally Elias Jaua prepare to contest the Miranda governorship in the 16 December regional elections.
