Posted on 11/19/2006 4:53:48 PM PST by StJacques
Rosales says that he is tied with Chavez in the polls Caracas. - The opposition candidate Manuel Rosales assured today that the polls reflect a technical tie between his candidacy and that of President Hugo Chavez. "The most important thing in a poll, and it's what the experts indicate, translates itself in the tendencies" and "at this moment they reflect what can be defined as a technical tie, (because) I don't know if he (Chavez) is a few points ahead or if I am," Rosales said in an interview with a German television station replayed by the Globovision network, as reviewed by the EFE [news agency]. "The important thing is that he is coming down and I am going up," [Rosales] stressed. Without naming Chavez at any time, Rosales sustained that the President has been "playing alone, speaking alone, and deciding alone" over almost the last eight years, while he [Rosales] could only be found on the campaign for "two months and a week," in spite of which, he repeated, "the tendencies are very clear in the polls." The opposition candidate admitted that he began the race for the December 3rd presidential elections "with a very low point total," but that now he is polling with a "great response from the people" though he did not cite proportionate numbers. Regarding the electoral process and at the suggestion that conditions could be created for a possible fraud in Chavez's favor, Rosales said that the voter's list "has problems" and lamented that they could not "purify it completely" and that the automated system of casting votes and the scrutinizing of voters "is dangerous."1 Even though on other occasions he has ruled out that the voter digital fingerprint registration machines could be used for fraud, he pointed out that the government will use them "to intimidate, to provoke fear among public employees, [and] among those who have whatever other relationship with the government."2 The little more than 16 million Venezuelans called to vote must pass by these machines before casting their ballot, which seek to avoid the possibility that an elector can vote on more than one occasion, according to the way electoral authorities have argued it. Rosales also accused public officeholders of having at their service "all the structure of power" and of using it "in a shameless and obscene manner" to the benefit of Chavez's candidacy, because "we are, we can say, [being outspent] 22 to 1" in advertising, he added. In spite of that, he said that he will recognize the result "if the secret ballot is respected, if the popular will is respected," the EFE divulged. "I am sure that the result is going to be favorable to us" and that "what we are not going to permit nor accept is that they repeat the cheating or manipulation" and that they will confront them "it costs what it costs," he added. His victory, he predicted, must be in part due to the "disaster of government of a President with violent speech, of disunion" and because "now there are more poor than before, more unemployed than before." When (Chavez) arrived in government (in 1999) a barrel of oil cost (was sold at) 12 dollars, today it is at 70 dollars on average and Venezuela lives in worse conditions," he pointed out. Moreover, he said that the Venezuelan voters will choose within two weeks between "democracy and liberty or a system like that of Cuba, of backwardness and underdevelopment. They are going to choose between alternating Presidents (...) or a country where there is just one President and you have to do what he and Fidel Castro say, a societal model where everything depends upon the government and the state." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"We cannot permit that by filthiness or by cheating that they violate and evade a popular will expressed in votes. That he wins who has the votes, but that he wins clean, without cheating, that he wins by clear rules, that he wins the way he is supposed to win," he indicated.
Translator's Notes:
1 The entire matter of the "scrutiny" of voters in the Venezuelan election has been of great interest, both in Venezuela and abroad. There is an electronic fingerprint identifying machine known as a captahuella which simultaneously verifies and records the fingerprint of voters with a time stamp at the moment their vote is cast. Since votes are also time-stamped this creates the possibility of a non-secret ballot given that the two time stamp lists could be correlated, and that Chavez opponents could face potential retaliation.
2 The issue of pressures placed upon civil and state employees, the military, and others by the Chavez regime is another very big issue in this campaign. See this translated article for more.
This Friday, Rosales has an advantage over Chavez by 5 points. The national Chief Executive fell from 46% to 42%, while the aspirant climbed from 43% to 47%.
The celebrations of the La Chinita fair coincide with the first week of Rosales over the 40% barrier. This is the first important ascent over Chavez.
The undecideds fell, also for the first time to single digits and the result shows that the tendency of this sector inclines for a "change."
Since the 1st of November, Chavez fell 0.1% per day, while Rosales climbed 1% daily.
It is very difficult to prognosticate a result in a contest so polarized. Analysts consulted indicate that having a close contest is the most probable scenario.
Nevertheless, if the tendency of the tracking poll were to sustain itself for the next two weeks, Rosales could obtain a 53% to 57% [portion] of the vote, against one of 43% to 47% of the aspirant for reelection [Chavez]; which implies a distance of 6 points in the worst of the two cases.
But, as we have made clear, the tracking is a very sensible measurement of daily events. The numbers of this type of measurement, we continue to insist, are not suitable for the weak of heart. No specialist can assure that Chavez's stagnation or Rosales's growth will be maintained.
The explanations for today's behavior are several. Among those must be included that Chavez is paying by voter punishment, the effect of the recent corruption scandals. But it is the President himself who contributes most to this tendency: Friday he crowned the week with a speech given in [Isla] Maragarita in which he returned to underlining the dangers which are circling about the peace of the country and then turned around and set out against freedom of expression.
For their part, the Rosales propagandists seem to have fallen behind on account of being left with only a few days to win the undecideds and they have begun a race of great intensity towards the closing of the campaign.
This Friday, Rosales and his followers are organizing at least three speaking events marked by a great enthusiasm and happiness. The candidate looks to be everywhere with almost simultaneous events in Zulia [and] Caracas, leading up to an important gathering in Maracay, the heart of Chavista militancy.
Rosales, with limited resources, has carried out exiting "Avalanches" [i.e. "mass gatherings"] in Zulia, Tachira, Carabobo, and Caracas. This reinforces the perception that the Zulian [i.e. Rosales] has greater pulling power in the street than does Chavez.
Chavez had an important gathering Thursday, but he has maintained with a more aloof campaign and is only strengthening his voter base without penetrating the skin of the undecideds.
So can we agree this is one time we can all hope that polls are right? Is there any legal way for US persons to support the opposition. I don't have much myself but someone who does might be able to contribute in some way. If you can suggest legal ways in a FR post, maybe that could help. Thanks for the information.
Not to worry. The "Peanut Boy" will come back to monitor the elections, and Chavez will win by a resounding margin.
Chavez needs to be removed. I guess we will see the people's answer, but what will Chavez's answer be and who will the police and the military back?
Don't be surprised if Rosales is dead before they finish counting the votes.
chavez has nothing to worry about he has jimmy carter,the American Left and the MSM behind him,unlike OUR Military!He (chavez) appears to be the type to squash political opponents,not unlike saddam.
Spare us the phoney polls. Chevez is in. He controls the ballot counting. He's president for life you Vennie suckers.
Thank you for the translation!
We have plenty of problems in our own hemisphere that have gone unadressed. Lets hope that Rosales wins and Chavez does not try anything to steal that election.
¡El Diablo es culpable!
(Bush's fault)
LOL!
Chavez doesn't need to worry. When he steals the election Jimmy Carter will be there to put the seal of approval on it.
..my thoughts exactly.....I bet you deep down Carter wants Chavez to win anyways....
Good article. Thanks for keeping us informed on the Clown Prince of Caracas.
By hook and crook, Chavez will win. I'd put my money on it. There were too many arms and advisors coming in from ouitside the country. He's not planning to lose.
Chris Dodd is beside himself.
In the words of Chavez hero Stalin : "It's not who votes that matters but who it is that counts the votes." The fix is already in, count on it.
Rosales "Avalanche" in Maracay Friday, November 17 Photo by Aleksander Boyd, VCrisis.com |
Interesting thing about polls which show Rosales either a little ahead of Chavez or just about even: any vote fraud by Team Chavez would be obligated to cut it pretty closely so as not to appear blatantly fraudulent which would be the message if the results showed a Chavez "landslide". In order to make the results look "plausible", the Chavez lackeys would have to do a great deal of deliberative vote counting, cross checking with one another as to percentages, disseminating the information to "the media" with hair-trigger timing, and finally be in a position to tweak a result that might go against them into one where they get a fairly comfortable edge in numbers. This will be very interesting to watch, but until then, to keep abreast of/////wish we had emissaries there......NOT of the Jimmeh Carter type, I mean.
Don't want TOO close a total because, unless it
Chavez will never give up power peacefully.
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