Monthly Archives: March 2013

Mar
15
2013
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In Case You Missed It… Articles Roundup Week of 3/15/13

s1.reutersmedia.net In Case You Missed It… Articles Roundup Week of 3/15/13

Courtesy of: Reuters

This week: Three days after Hugo Chávez’s death, Vice President Nicolás Maduro is sworn in as interim president; the National Electoral Council decides on April 14 as the date for the special election to choose a new president to complete Chávez’s term; Maduro hopes the sympathy vote will carry him to victory; opposition leader Henrique Capriles announces his bid for president, accusing Maduro and the rest of Chávez’s government of exploiting the late president’s death; and Capriles challenges Maduro to a debate. With Chávez gone, the possibility of pro-democracy reforms in Venezuela is renewed; the Venezuelan people remains divided over Chávez; the Venezuelan economy, and the Bolívar especially,, continue to struggle; Venezuela’s central bank announces it will auction U.S. dollars to try and counter the black market; Venezuela’s oil production continues to fall steadily. The owner of Globovisión, the last independent television station in Venezuela, is coerced into selling his station, raising concerns about the further erosion of media freedoms; a Venezuelan woman is arrested for tweeting criticism of the government; the U.S. kicks out two Venezuelan diplomats after Maduro removed U.S. diplomats from Venezuela; and Maduro announces Chávez will not be embalmed like other communist leaders, as was originally suggested.

Venezuela’s vice president sworn in as interim president, CNN

Vice President Nicolas Maduro was sworn in Friday as acting president of Venezuela in a ceremony held in the National Assembly in Caracas, three days after the death of President Hugo Chavez.

Venezuelan Election Set for April, The New York Times

Venezuela will hold a special election on April 14 to choose a new president to complete the term of Hugo Chávez, the charismatic socialist who died last week after a battle with cancer.

Venezuela’s presidential campaign: A man after his own heart, The Economist

WHEN Hugo Chávez announced in December that his cancer had returned, he put to rest all doubts about whom he wanted to succeed him as Venezuela’s president.

Henrique Capriles Announces Presidential Bid Saying the Government is Exploiting the Death of Hugo Chavez, Fox News Latino

Following days of speculation opposition leader Henrique Capriles announced Sunday evening he will challenge Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela’s upcoming presidential election.

Opposition leader wants to debate Venezuela’s Maduro, Reuters

Venezuela’s opposition leader challenged acting President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday to “stop lying” and have a debate, adding that he was sorry if he had caused offense during the increasingly bitter run-up to an April 14 election.

On Venezuela, Latin America’s democrats must come out of hiding, Miami Herald

In the days and weeks ahead in a post- Hugo Chávez Venezuela, there may be political turmoil and perhaps even violent unrest.

In Venezuela, divisions over Chávez extend from parliament to the dinner table, Christian Science Monitor

Mourning Hugo Chávez supporters lined streets outside the military academy for a fourth straight day today, but few were grieving just a few miles away.

Venezuela: On the Death of Chávez and the Ailing Bolivar, The Huffington Post

Although Hugo Chávez, the socialist presidente of Venezuela, has finally met his maker, the grim reaper is still lingering in Caracas.

Venezuela to auction dollars to counter black market: reports, Reuters

Venezuela’s central bank may auction U.S. dollars in a second official currency exchange mechanism designed to improve the supply of greenbacks and counter black market trading, newspapers said on Friday.

Dwindling Production Has Led to Lesser Role for Venezuela as Major Oil Power, The New York Times

President Hugo Chávez relished using Venezuela’s oil wealth to project power internationally, nudging OPEC to raise oil prices when he could, showering allies like Cuba and Nicaragua with subsidized oil shipments, and mocking the United States while selling it his crude.

Venezuela Takes Out Another Critic, The Wall Street Journal

The owner of Venezuela’s only independent television station, Globovision, announced on Monday that he has found a buyer and will exit the business.

Venezuelan official says woman arrested for posting ‘destabilizing messages’ on Internet, The Washington Post

Venezuela’s justice minister says a woman has been arrested for posting what he called “destabilizing messages” on a social networking site.

U.S. kicks out two Venezuelan diplomats, The Washington Times

The Obama administration revealed Monday that it had kicked two Venezuelan diplomats out of the United States, offering a clear signal that U.S.-Venezuelan relations are unlikely to warm quickly after the death last week of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

Hugo Chavez not embalmed in time; won’t join communists on permanent display, Examiner

On March 13, acting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced the body of deceased former President Hugo Chavez will not be on permanent display as previously declared because of a delay in embalming the communist leader’s remains, according to BBC News.

 
Mar
14
2013
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Capriles Prepares for a Tough Fight Against the Memory of Chávez

31013 capriles1 e1363269277543 Capriles Prepares for a Tough Fight Against the Memory of Chávez

Courtesy of: Associated Press

On Monday, interim president Nicolás Maduro and opposition leader Governor Henrique Capriles formally registered as candidates for Venezuela’s special presidential election, to determine who will succeed the late Hugo Chávez. The former vice president Maduro was sworn in just three days earlier – merely three days after the government announced Chávez’s death.

Even by the standards of an electoral system already skewed to the PSUV’s benefit, April’s special election is hardly a fair fight. The candidates are only permitted to campaign during an official 10-day campaign period from April 2-11, but the timing of the April 14 election already sets the opposition at a distinct disadvantage. While both candidates are prohibited from campaigning until April 2, Maduro has been riding the wave of grief over Chávez’s death to bolster his own image. Currently, state-run TV is saturated with 24/7 coverage of Chávez’s life and legacy, and the government has bused in thousands of supporters to wait in hour-long lines to view his casket. In addition, like Chávez, Maduro has not been timid about using his “cadena” powers, which require mandatory national broadcasts at the discretion of the president. Similar to Chávez, Maduro has made these a daily occurrence; even using one to take the oath of office in front of Chávez’s casket. While the official campaign will not begin for weeks, Maduro’s presence on the airwaves is virtually ubiquitous.

Although the campaign period officially ends on April 11, the days in between are fraught with symbolism that is sure to benefit Maduro. April 13 – the day before the election – is the anniversary of Chávez’s return to power after the April 11, 2002 coup that briefly ousted him from power. In the years following, the anniversary has been marked with widespread celebration by Chavistas – led by Chávez himself. This year will likely see that celebration further intensified – allowing Maduro to carry out de facto campaign events through official government celebrations of Chávez’s memory.

Capriles has spent much of his political career criticizing the Chávez administration for its expropriations, centralization of power, and corruption. He is currently serving as the Governor of Miranda, one of the largest states in Venezuela—the latest stage in his fast political rise. At the age of 26, he became the youngest elected member of the National Congress before winning two consecutive mayoral elections in Baruta, a division of the Greater Caracas municipality. Last year, he became the first candidate in 14 years to unite the opposition parties and seriously challenge Chávez in the October presidential election. Capriles traversed Venezuela for months, seeking to rally Venezuelan’s behind his vision for the country’s future. Although he lost the election, his quest was hardly unsuccessful: Capriles won an unprecedented 44 percent of the vote (over 6 million people).

Meanwhile, Maduro has risen far from his origins as a bus driver, becoming Chávez’s Vice President and handpicked successor. As a former Foreign Minister, he strengthened the Venezuelan government’s ties with Cuba and with the Castros. During Chávez’s absence in June 2011 and last winter, he worked to shore up his power as acting president and his political clout within the PSUV. Maduro lacks Chávez’s charisma and popularity, a weakness he has sought to counteract by currying favor with the late president and the Cuban government through a fierce commitment to PSUV’s principles of socialism.

The presidential campaign has not even officially begun, but Capriles has already been subjected by his rival to a malicious smear campaign. In a speech responding to Capriles’ candidacy, Maduro called him a “fascist” and used racist and homophobic slurs against the governor, a descendant of Polish Jews who escaped the Holocaust. The Venezuelan government is also threatening the opposition candidate with legal action for the defamation of Chávez and his family after Capriles raised questions about the government’s lack of transparency regarding the circumstances of the former president’s death.

Capriles has taken a tougher tone against Maduro than he did against Chávez in last year’s presidential election. Capriles has accused Maduro of exploiting Chávez’s memory for political gain. Indeed, Capriles’ chance at victory will likely hinge on his ability to demonstrate to Venezuelans that Maduro is not Chávez’s “second coming,” but is instead a lifelong political operative and puppet of the Castros, wholly complicit in the PSUV government’s economic mismanagement.

With only 10 days to campaign, Capriles will be fighting an uphill battle. Maduro will leverage every facet of Chávez’s finely-tuned political machine to secure a victory: at his disposal are a formidable (and corrupt) voter turnout program, unobstructed access to government resources, and the hysterical grief of Chávez’s devoted followers. It is little surprise that Maduro has already christened his campaign the “Comando de Campaña Hugo Chávez Frías” (Hugo Chávez Campaign Command). The month ahead will combine elements of a political rally and funeral march, as Maduro looks to ride a wave of Chávez sympathy and nostalgia into power.

Nevertheless, Capriles has defeated Chávez’s top deputies before. Just two months after his strong showing against Chávez in the presidential elections, Capriles held on to his Miranda governorship against Chávez’s close friend and former Vice President, Elías Jaua. He originally defeated Diosdado Cabello, the current head of the National Assembly, to first assume the governorship of Miranda in 2008. Capriles will capitalize on his youthful energy and the strong support of his base to do everything possible to obtain a victory.

 
Mar
11
2013
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ICYMI: Venezuela Opposition Leader Capriles to Run Again

Wall Street Journal
March 10, 2013
By Ezequiel Minaya

6c728791bba8150e6d126b707b7f2d5d e1363036562600 ICYMI: Venezuela Opposition Leader Capriles to Run Again

Courtesy of: Agence France Presse

CARACAS—Venezuela opposition leader Henrique Capriles, who challenged the re-election bid of former President Hugo Chávez last fall, announced Sunday his candidacy in snap elections set over the weekend for April 14 to replace the late president.

The 40-year-old governor of Miranda, Venezuela’s second most-populous state, will be pitted against acting President Nicolás Maduro, who was tapped by Mr. Chavez as his preferred successor before his death last week. Mr. Capriles blasted his rival in remarks broadcast on state television, accusing Mr. Maduro of lying to the country about the timing of the death of the president—who hadn’t mad a public appearance since December—and using the loss for political gain. “Nicolás lied to this country,” Mr. Capriles said, referring to the acting president by his first name. “You submitted the country to a lie. I don’t play with death, I don’t play with pain.”

Mr. Capriles, who some analysts say was nonconfrontational during much of his run against the notoriously combative Mr. Chávez, has taken a tougher tone with Mr. Maduro from the outset. “Are those tears sincere?” he asked of Mr. Maduro, who has paid several emotional tributes to Mr. Chávez since his death March 5.

In a fiery televised response to the governor, Mr. Maduro, standing in front of a framed photo of the late leader, called his counterpart “miserable” and said he was trying to incite violence.

“He has committed the biggest error in his history,” Mr. Maduro said of Mr. Capriles. He also noted that Mr. Chávez’s family holds the right to take legal action against the governor for his comments, without offering details.

“Now if all of these [opposition parties] come out to back this serious offense, well, that’s a declaration of war,” Mr. Maduro said. He insisted however that the country had to maintain peace.

Mr. Capriles, a law graduate and former national legislator, lost to Mr. Chávez in Oct. 7 elections by 11 percentage points, capturing 44% of ballots. Though unsuccessful, Mr. Capriles posted the best showing ever against Mr. Chávez, who succumbed to complications linked to his battle with cancer of nearly two years.

No opinion surveys have been released tracking a possible Maduro-versus-Capriles contest since the death of Mr. Chávez at age 58. But a poll last month by local pollster Hinterlaces showed Mr. Maduro, who many expect to benefit from a sympathy vote amid the passing of his mentor Mr. Chávez, beating Mr. Capriles 50% to 36%, with the remainder undecided.

Election authorities have designated only 10 days for campaigning, a short time frame that likely favors Mr. Maduro, who is backed by the formidable electoral machine of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela, or PSUV. The candidates have both planned to visit the national election board on Monday to make their decisions official. Mr. Capriles added that he will launch a tour of the country on Tuesday.

During the heated presidential contested last year, the opposition coalition of roughly 30 parties that backed Mr. Capriles, known by its Spanish acronym MUD, filed more than a 100 complaints with election authorities accusing Mr. Chávez of skirting electoral norms with lengthy appearances on state broadcasters and using public workers as part of his campaign, among other allegations. Venezuela’s National Electoral Council, seen by many as aligned with the PSUV, declined to open an investigation into the Chávez camp and responded to only a handful of MUD complaints.

A youthful sports-fan, Mr. Capriles has described himself as a center-left lawmaker who draws inspiration from the “new left” policies of former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Detractors of Mr. Capriles have accused him of aping the populist style of Mr. Chávez to disguise allegedly far-right leanings.

Mr. Capriles endured a barrage of near-daily attacks from state media and government officials during last year’s presidential run, including accusations that he was both a Zionist agent and a neo-Nazi sympathizer. Mr. Capriles, a practicing Catholic, has Jewish ancestors, some of whom fled Europe during the Holocaust.

Venezuelan law calls for new elections within 30 days if the presidency is vacated within the first four years of a six-year term. In his final public appearance in December, Mr. Chávez backed the 50-year-old Mr. Maduro as Venezuela’s next leader if a new vote was required.

Mr. Chávez never revealed the exact type of cancer he suffered. During the president’s three months out of the public eye, Mr. Maduro and other government officials insisted on various occasions that Mr. Chávez was showing improvement and remained at work.

Mr. Maduro, a former bus driver and union organizer, was foreign minister for six years beginning in 2006 before being named vice president last year. He is considered a hard-line Chávez loyalist. He has, nonetheless, been praised by fellow diplomats for being an approachable representative of a government that is often provocative and strident in its anti-U.S. sentiment. Mr. Maduro, who delivered an emotional eulogy for Mr. Chávez on Friday, took the oath of office hours after the funeral services and named the late president’s son-in-law, Science and Technology Minister Jorge Arreaza, as vice president.

Many analysts doubt, however, that Mr. Maduro can match the outsize personality and charisma that helped Mr. Chávez dominate Venezuelan politics for 14 years. And it remains to be seen how Mr. Maduro will perform in a high-profile election, having had most of his political posts coming by way of appointment. Mr. Capriles, in contrast, is a veteran of several prominent showdowns, including an upset victory to capture the Miranda statehouse in 2008 over incumbent Diosdado Cabello, an influential Chávez ally who is now president of the National Assembly.

To read this article at the Wall Street Journal, please click here.