Courtesy of: AP
Only one month remains before the Venezuelan elections, and polls show that the race is still up in the air as the candidates prepare for the home stretch. Opposition candidate Capriles is continuing his successful town by town campaign, where he tries to show off his youth and vigor in order to contrast himself with President Hugo Chávez. Chávez, who has been increasingly absent of late, admitted this week that he at one point considered leaving politics because of his cancer. His campaign is also likely to suffer because of the recent accident at an oil refinery in Amuay, which reports say was likely the result of poor maintenance by the state-owned oil company PDVSA. Meanwhile, the country’s violence problem continues as murders of police officers in Caracas increase, the tourism industry suffers because of a poor public image and the economy was ranked as one of the least competitive in the world. Finally, the aftermath of the murder of a diplomat in Kenya reveals the corruption within Chávez’s politicized foreign service.
Venezuela’s election enters its crucial last month, Foreign Policy
With one month to go before electing a president, both sides of Venezuela’s dismembered public sphere are pulling out all the stops.
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.
Hugo Chavez Says He Considered Leaving Politics over Cancer, Fox News
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez acknowledged Tuesday that he thought about abandoning public life after discovering he had cancer in June 2011, for which he had to be operated three times.
Venezuela on fire, The Washington Post
The fires are finally out at the giant state-run Amuay oil refinery in Venezuela that exploded on Aug. 25, setting off an inferno that cost 48 people their lives and left another 150 injured.
Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez defends oil minister after deadly refinery explosion that killed 42, The Washington Post
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez defended his oil minister Wednesday, saying he has a solid record leading the industry for a decade despite a recent refinery explosion that killed at least 42 people.
In Venezuela, killings of Caracas police are on rise, Los Angeles Times
As he and his partner drove at dusk through a warren of metal and concrete-block shacks that’s a haven for car thieves, bank robbers and kidnappers, Alexander Reyes said he’s just hoping to survive eight more years to retirement age.
Venezuela bids to beat bad image to win over tourists, BBC
It has the longest Caribbean coastline of any country and the world’s tallest waterfall, not to mention snow-capped Andean mountains and Amazon rainforest.
Venezuela is among the less competitive economies, El Universal
Venezuela’s economy is among the less competitive economies worldwide, World Economic Forum reveals in his Global Competitiveness Report 2012-2013.
A Venezuelan Diplomat’s Swift Rise Ends With a Murder in Kenya, New York Times
Mr. Sagaray’s easy vault to a top post in the foreign service is emblematic of a diplomatic corps that has been transformed to meet political ends and reward loyalists within Mr. Chávez’s Socialist-inspired revolution, according to retired diplomats critical of the government.