The Venezuelan electoral campaign for the October 7 elections have just begun. This will be one of the most watched elections since Hugo Chavez came to power 12 years ago. After this long term mandate, President Chavez will again be the United Socialist Party of Venezuela party candidate.

Chavez, who has been in power during two consecutive legislatures, will have the chance to become President for the third time in a row, something that was not possible before 2009 when the amendment that precluded mandates longer than two legislatures was erased.

The other main option for Venezuelans is the one led by the Democratic Unity Roundtable, a political party coalition that was formed in January 2008, to unify the opposition to President Chavez in the Venezuelan parliamentary elections.

The DUR head is Henrique Capriles, but there are other strong figures within the party, such as the independent deputy Maria Corina Machado.

Chavez, age 57, who is still recovering from his cancer, made an speech in the Maracay city to his voters. “In the next 100 days, the next 100 years in Venezuela are going to be decided” said Chavez, who is already campaigning.

Chavez speech was loyal to his style. He made a call against bourgeoisie, and his anti-Americanism feeling came once more to appearance: “We just need ten million votes to hit on the bourgeoisie and give them their final knockout. A knockout that will also hit to the North American Empire.” He also appealed to their voters to spread Chaves’ words in order to get more votes.

According the Consulters 21, Vice President, Saul Cabrera, surveys say that President Chavez counts with the 45,9% vote intention. In the other side, surveys says that 45,8% of voters will go for Henrique Capriles, who is having a better reputation as days passes by.

But the DUR opposition party does not give up, despite what surveys says. In fact, they do not pay too much attention to them, and say that these surveys are made to discourage and demobilize the opposition.

DUR also blames Chavez for having a totally dominated society, an slavery country. “But this country has opened their eyes,” said Maria Corina Machado to Spanish ABC. “Venezuela needs investors and trust, and that is what Capriles represents,” said Corina Machado, who also remembered that Chavez can not rule a country due to his health state.

Candidate Capriles wrote a column for a Venezuelan newspaper that blamed Chavez for “keep on talking about the same as 12 years and blaming others instead of looking at himself.”

The five states that have more voters according to the final Electoral Register, are Zulia, Miranda, Capital District, Carabobo and Lara, from which four of them are run by governors of the opposition.

Zulia (2,334,529 voters), Miranda (1,950,657), Carabobo (1,516,240) and Lara (1,197,690), which represents 37% of voters nationwide, are the states where opposition governs. Capital District ranks third, with 1,608,976 voters.

Image Courtesy of    ervega

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