Posted on 10/07/2006 9:27:58 PM PDT by SmithL
CARACAS -- Thousands marched Saturday in the biggest show of public support yet for Venezuela's main opposition presidential candidate, who pledged to undo what he called the ills of President Hugo Chavez's government.
Manuel Rosales accused the government of mismanaging the country's oil wealth and ignoring crime. He also played on fears that Chavez's close friendship with Cuban leader Fidel Castro was leading Venezuela down the same path as the communist island.
"They say the Venezuelan people rule — that's a lie," said Rosales, governor of oil-rich, western Zulia state, who faces Chavez in the Dec. 3 election. "(We have) a government that is a puppet of a communist, totalitarian system. ... We have a government that is governing from Cuba."
Venezuelan authorities had promised to have as many as 2,500 officers on the streets to ensure security amid concerns about violence as Rosales' supporters traversed sectors of the capital that are pro-Chavez.
A government helicopter flew overhead and a heavy police presence was on hand, but there were no reports of disturbances.
Caracas' metropolitan police estimated the crowd at about 9,000, but reporters on the scene estimated the turnout was more than 10,000. The crowd packed full a 2-mile avenue.
"I'm marching for a different future, for better education," said Julia Pena, a 50-year-old teacher, who came out to show her support for the opposition for the first time since April 2002, when a short-lived coup toppled Chavez before he returned amid a popular uprising.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Manuel Rosales accused the government of mismanaging the country's oil wealth and ignoring crime. He also played on fears that Chavez's close friendship with Cuban leader Fidel Castro was leading Venezuela down the same path as the communist island.
Hugo must go!
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my ‘miscellaneous’ ping list.
9,000? Has the AP actually seen any of the pictures? More like 90,000 or more.
Hugo ping.
I wonder how long it will take for Rosales to catch a fatal cold or flu. There is no way Chavez lets him live to see an election.
Let's hope our CIA is helping this guy remove that festering cancer Chavez from his position.
He fixed the last election like dictators do and he can squeeze the opposition to around 10 percent of the vote or less through fear and intimidation.
A few years ago tens of thousands would be in the streets to oppose him. Maybe there were that many today but only 10-thousand would be a disappointment to me and would reflect Chavez consolidating a dictatorship.
We must respect his AUTHORITIE!
It looked more like 90k than 9k...definitely.
$10 says the opposition candidate won't make it to election day.
The sad part is that people do.
["Hugo must go. "]
Rest assured, unfortunately Hugo is going to take every step that he has to such that he remains in power.
The BBC story had a still photo that shows a really big crowd, so I'm a little more optimistic.
The link is: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4801521.stm
That the opposition may be able to use mass demonstrations to defeat Chavez because I'm sure the electoral process is rigged at this point.
I think we both wish for the same thing here. A fair accounting of the electorate.
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