[StJacques]

Beyond the dramatic surge of Rosales in recent public opinion polls, see this thread (especially the comments) for more, there is evidence surfacing that Rosales is beginning to attract large crowds in his campaign appearances. In a just-concluded campaign swing through the interior of the country, the crowds greeting Rosales were large enough for the El Universal newspaper in Caracas to report the statement of a Rosales campaign leader that the turnout was "truly torrential."

This is the current framework within which we are looking at the major event Rosales has scheduled to be held in Caracas, which is Hugo Chavez's center of support, this weekend. By using the term "Caracas Avalanche," the Rosales campaign is taking the risk of not performing up to expectations. But it may be that Rosales is attempting to schedule an event whose turnout cannot be kept from the news media. In his recent campaign swing in the interior, Chavez supporters violently attacked television reporters and either damaged or destroyed their video cameras, thus preventing full circulation of the visual images of the crowds meeting Rosales as he worked his way through some of the poorer sections of an interior city.

We will have to wait and see whether Rosales is able to show some political muscle on Chavez's home turf. If he succeeds this Saturday, it could potentially change the entire dynamic of the campaign.

[StJacques]

A Latin American Left Watch ping for you all.

Anyone wishing to be included on the ping list may either ping me from this thread or contact me via Freepmail.

[Kitten Festival]

Rosales is saying Chavez will turn Vz communist. Apparently, a lot of locals in Caracas seem to agree with him, the more he says it, the bigger the crowds grow.

[restornu]

Chavez - Norvegian TV Report
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6040762455054819326&q=mohammed&hl=en

[conservative in nyc]

Thanks for the ping. A little background:

Rosales claims to be ahead in the polls in his home state of Zulia, Venezuela's most populous state. Zulia is in the heart of Venezuelan oil country. The oil workers don't much like Chavez or his anti-PDVSA (Venezuelan state oil company) policies.

[BobS]

"...the Venezuelan state of Zulia, located in the northwestern portion of the country,...

Is that area sort of like Nordeste Brasil, which is very conservative? The folks from there start businesses here.

I heard Miss Venezuela is very cute. How about a picture?

[BobS]

Miss Venezuela.

Tell her to get you a beer during a football game. You might learn what a frying pan is:)

[MadIvan]

The latest estimate from the Economist suggests 30% of Venezeulans are living below the poverty line. This is not improving, meanwhile, Chavez is giving out handouts for political reasons and not actually helping his people.

Yes, I'd say he's dancing with death.

Regards, Ivan

[PJ-Comix]

Hugo Chavez---The South American proponent of Narcissism-Leninism.

[Alia]

Thank you for the translation, and the translator's notes. ;>

I appreciate all updates. This election is a nail biter.

[I_Love_My_Husband]

A year or so ago on another board (regarding Natalee Holloway), I met a very nice woman who was from Venezuela (there's some kind of connection between Venezuela & Aruba geographically, IIRC) and she had some choice words about him, and asked me to pray for her and to pray the country gets rid of him.

[BfloGuy]

Here's a link to the same paper's own English translation

[Redleg Duke]

It doesn't matter. Venezuela is a socialist (Communist) dictatorship. Hugo's thugs will count the votes...Hugo will win.

[conservative in nyc]

The election is in December? If so, that's a long time for Chavez to take care of his opponent.

[Antoninus]

Chugo will lie, cheat, threaten, use violence, rig the vote, whatever it takes to stay in power. He's a communist. He will never, ever be elected out of office. He'll need to be carried out in a body-bag.