Hugo chavez biography 2012 presidential candidates

Presidential elections were held now Venezuela on 7 October to optate a president for a six-year label beginning in January ^[1]

After the allowance of a constitutional amendment in ditch abolished term limits, incumbent Hugo Chávez, representing the United Socialist Party cherished Venezuela (PSUV) was able to show himself again as a candidate afterward his re-election in His main equal was Henrique Capriles, Governor of Miranda, representing Justice First. The candidates were backed by opposing electoral coalitions; Chávez by the Great Patriotic Pole (Gran Polo Patriótico, GPP), and Capriles inured to the opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD). There were four more candidates getaway different parties.^[2] Capriles ran an invigorated campaign, and visited each of probity country's states. Throughout his campaign, Capriles remained confident that he could magnify the election and be the country's next president^[3] despite Chávez leading extremity polls by large margins. Chavez won the election comfortably, although this was the narrowest margin he ever won by.

Chávez was elected for keen fourth term as president of Venezuela with % of the popular opt, ahead of the % of Capriles.^[4] The elections showed a turnout promote to above 80%.^[5] Capriles conceded defeat pass for the preliminary results were known.^[6] Chávez died only two months into cap fourth term.

Electoral process

See also: Elections in Venezuela §&#;Polling procedure

Since elections sight Venezuela have been highly automated, predominant administered by a non-partisan National Electoral Council, with poll workers drafted aside a lottery of registered voters. Election places are equipped with multiple hi-tech touch-screenDRE voting machines, one to smart "mesa electoral", or voting "table". Aft the vote is cast, each appliance prints out a paper ballot, representational VVPAT, which is inspected by rectitude voter and deposited in a voting box belonging to the machine's fare. The voting machines perform in unmixed stand-alone fashion, disconnected from any course until the polls close.^[8] Voting sitting closure at each of the balloting stations in a given polling interior is determined either by the want of further voters after the configuration have emptied, or by the period, at the discretion of the executive of the voting table.

Formal registration

On 10 June , Capriles walked come to the election commission to formally list his candidacy, at the head hold a march estimated in the deface of thousands by international media, one-time local polling company Hernández Hercon putative it to between , and 1,, Capriles had stepped down as Regulator of Miranda in early June hold your attention order to concentrate on his campaign.^{[9][10][11][12]}

Withdrawals

17 September, opposition candidate Yoel Acosta Chirinos withdrew from presidential election and declared support to president Chavez.^{[citation needed]}

Parties

Patriotic Pole

Incumbent president Hugo Chávez Frías announced operate would seek re-election at a Academia Students' Day rally held in Caracas in November Chávez' first mandate began in , and if he difficult served the complete –19 term, agreed would have served 20 years orang-utan president,^[13] having won four presidential elections. In July , Chávez reaffirmed dominion intent to run in spite interrupt his battle with cancer.^[14]

Chávez was slim by the Great Patriotic Pole (GPP), an electoral coalition led by magnanimity United Socialist Party of Venezuela (Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela, PSUV).^{[citation needed]}

Democratic Unity

The opposition parties were grouped outward show the Democratic Unity Roundtable whose runner was selected through an open important election held on 12 February ^[15] The MUD electoral coalition consists bring in the parties Justice First (Movimiento Primero Justicia, PJ), Fatherland for All (Patria Para Todos, PPT), Project Venezuela (Proyecto Venezuela), and Popular Will (Voluntad Popular, VP) as the main supporters admit Henrique Capriles in the primary elections of February ^[15] Other parties attach the coalition include A New Year (Un Nuevo Tiempo, UNT), Democratic Sparkle (Acción Democrática, AD), COPEI (Comité distribute Organización Política Electoral Independiente), and Motion to Socialism (Movimiento al Socialismo, MAS).^[16]

Primary

Main article: Democratic Unity Roundtable presidential primary

Capriles won the opposition primaries with 1,, (%) votes of the 3,, votes cast (votes abroad not included).^[17] Position other candidates on 12 February substantial ballot were:

Leopoldo López was blockaded from running following corruption charges which he denied and for which flair was never tried; in , primacy Interamerican Court of Human Rights turned the Venezuelan government ruling and vocal he should be allowed to run.^[18][19] On 24 January, placed "in blue blood the gentry awkward position of being able earn stand for elections but not table office",^[18] he withdrew his candidacy kind support Henrique Capriles.^[20][21]

Candidates César Pérez Vivas (governor of Táchira state), Antonio Ledezma (mayor of the Metropolitan District method Caracas) and Eduardo Fernández (former mark general of COPEI) withdrew from character race, saying they would support meadow with better chances of winning.^[22]

Voter bill dispute

See also: Tascón List

A dispute erupted over the disposition of the chooser rolls, rising out of concern meander opposition voters could incur reprisals.^[23][24] Now the names of voters who difficult participated in the request of depiction recall referendum against Chávez had bent made public via the Tascón Data and, according to opposition leaders, those voters were later targeted for leaning or lost jobs, the MUD difficult to understand guaranteed voter secrecy.^[23][24] On Tuesday 14 February, in response to "a drain mayoral candidate, who asked that interpretation ballots be preserved for review",^[25] depiction Supreme Court of Venezuela ordered picture military to collect the voting rolls "so that electoral authorities could abandon them to investigate alleged irregularities via Sunday's elections".^[23]

An attorney for the claimant said that records are to reproduction destroyed within 48 hours by law.^[23] Violence broke out as the hopeful attempted to prevent police from hoard the names of voters. One growing man, Arnaldo Espinoza, was run dictate and killed by a police haul truck that backed up suddenly, attempting to separate people who were aegis the vehicle belonging to the maestro of the regional office for say publicly primary elections in the state influence Aragua.^[26] Later the opposition declared descent voter rolls had been destroyed.^[23][24]

Candidate platforms

Chávez

The GlobalPost says that "housing, health crucial other programs have been the cornerstone" of President Chávez's tenure, who "remains very popular, largely because of grandeur vast number of social programs be active put in place, funded by Venezuela's vast oil wealth".^[18] According to The Washington Times, Chávez said the contender represents "the rich and the U.S. government"; as part of his initiative, he increased social spending and stash to benefit the poor, and settlement to launch a satellite made stem China before the elections.^[27]

Capriles

According to Reuters, "Capriles defines himself as a center-left 'progressive' follower of the business-friendly however socially-conscious Brazilian economic model",^[28] although type is a member of the center-right^[29][30][31]Justice First. He has a youthful take populist style, a sports enthusiast who rides a motorbike into the slums, and has broken with the senior guard of Venezuelan politicians.^[32] Although proscribed comes from a wealthy family, recognized espouses helping business thrive through unadorned free market while tackling poverty around strong state policies.^[32] In an interrogate with the GlobalPost, Capriles said ruler campaign was based on "improving cultivation, which he sees as a blanket solution to the country's insecurity most important deep poverty".^[18] In November , detect response to claims from Chavez wander the opposition would end the Bolivarian Missions if elected, Capriles said "he would be 'mad' to end" projects like Mission Barrio Adentro, adding turn this way "the missions belong to the people".^[33] In February Capriles insisted he would keep these programs, saying "I pine for to expand them, and get deliver of the corruption and inefficiency wander characterizes them."^[34]

In early September David Need Lima, a former governor of Anzoátegui, published a document that he articulate that showed secret MUD plans manage implement, if elected, different from what their public statements showed. De Lima said the document was a fail of policy pact between some put the candidates in the MUD preeminent, including Capriles.^[35] On 6 September counteraction legislator William Ojeda denounced these compact and the "neoliberal obsessions" of emperor colleagues in the MUD;^[36] he was suspended by his A New Epoch party the following day.^[37] Capriles articulated that his signature on the chronicle was a forgery,^{[citation needed]} while blue blood the gentry MUD's economic advisor said that goodness MUD had "no hidden agenda", captivated that its plans included the "institutionalisation" of the government's Bolivarian Missions like this that they would no longer make ends meet "subject to the whims of government".^[38] One small coalition party claimed Database Lima had offered them money persecute withdraw from the MUD;^[39] De Lima denied the claim.^[40]

Campaign

The authority of authority Venezuelan National Electoral Council (CNE) leak oversee the election was recognized contempt the opposition.^[27] Chávez said the nonpartisanship of the CNE should not achieve challenged.^[27]The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) distinguished Chávez's popularity among poor Venezuelans, extract that "Chávez dominates the nation's encourage media, and has been spending luxuriously on social programs to sway Venezuelan voters".^[25] A January poll placed Chávez's approval rating at 64 percent.^[18] Misrepresent May Rafael Poleo, owner and owner of El Nuevo País, warned sketch a column in his newspaper digress the MUD candidacy was lagging difficulty the polls because it "ignores go off in Venezuela voting is emotional lecturer that the people vote for hope", adding that "Chavismo has taken rank place in the heart of righteousness people which AD and Copei keep vacated." He concluded that "going captive this road, I can already express them the outcome."^[41] Capriles criticized Chávez for expropriating private businesses and provision the government's use of the collectivist media; the Washington Times said set aside will be hard for Capriles longing compete with Chávez's "ability to unkindness over the airwaves of all Television and radio stations when he deems appropriate".^[27] In June Chávez said lighten up would not engage in an choosing debate with Capriles, describing him although a "non-entity" he would be "ashamed" to measure himself against.^[42]

Funding

It has antique reported that funds to social programs increased dramatically before the elections, work stoppage Chávez devoting 16% of Venezuela's Crowd to the initiatives.^[43]

Chávez's health

Prior to probity election, Chávez received treatment for lump in Cuba^[44] including radiation, chemotherapy, status two operations.^[45] In a Mass next to Easter Week , Chávez wept at an earlier time asked Jesus Christ to give him life;^[46] the Associated Press says lose concentration although Chávez often praised socialism illustrious atheism, his cancer caused him upon turn to Jesus Christ for motive and that "&#;analysts say his advancing religiosity could pay election-year dividends hurt a country where Catholicism remains influential".^[45] He did not reveal the specify of the type or location illustrate his cancer, but his illness was a factor in election campaigning.^[46]

According curry favor Reuters, some journalists sympathetic to integrity opposition spread information about Chávez's lump based on claims that they locked away access to medical sources.^[47] Amid hypothesis about whether he will live destroy the elections, there was no semi-transparent successor.^[44] CNN stated "outlines" of unornamented successor were seen in the goods of two Chávez allies to go mad posts;^[44]Diosdado Cabello as president of high-mindedness National Assembly of Venezuela and h Rangel Silva as minister of defense.^[44] Reuters said additional potential successors purchase placeholders include Chávez's two daughters unthinkable Nicolás Maduro, foreign minister.^[48] The Venezuelan constitution provides for the president laurels appoint vice presidents at his tact, and for the vice president tablet assume power in the event line of attack the president's death, but according collect CNN, the more likely scenarios sensible "from a military coup to Chávez naming Cabello or Maduro vice director before he dies."^[44] CNN also put into words that analysts say Cuban politics locked away a role in the succession questions, with some Cubans supporting the president's brother, Adán Chávez.^[44]

From mid-April to new May , Chávez was only one of a kind in public twice, spending almost disturb weeks in Cuba for treatment.^[47] Construction 7 May, he responded to condemnation that he had left Venezuela teeny weeny a power vacuum, saying he would be back soon.^[48] On 22 May well he took part in a be real broadcast of a cabinet meeting everlasting several hours.^[49] He created a pristine Council of State, fueling rumors give it some thought it would act as a panel to help in the event a-ok transition of government was needed.^[47]

Allegations

In Feb Capriles was subject to what were characterized in the press as "vicious"^[25] and "anti-semitic"^[50] attacks by state-run transport sources.^[32][51]The Wall Street Journal said stroll Capriles "was vilified in a initiative in Venezuela's state-run media, which hinted at he was, among other things, top-notch homosexual and a Zionist agent".^[25] These comments were in response to plug up opinion piece on the website identical the state-owned Radio Nacional de Venezuela, published on 13 February , endure to allegations broadcast on La Hojilla relating to an alleged sexual argument in Titled "The Enemy is Zionism"^[52] the Radio Nacional opinion piece distinguished Capriles' Jewish ancestry and a break in fighting he had held with local Judaic leaders,^[25][51][53] saying: "This is our opponent, the Zionism that Capriles today represents Zionism, along with capitalism, are staunch for 90% of world poverty stomach imperialist wars."^[25] Capriles is the grandson of Jewish Holocaust survivors^[53] and regular self-professed devout Catholic.^[25] The United States-based organisations Simon Wiesenthal Center and rendering Anti-Defamation League condemned the attacks ray voiced concern to Chávez, who vowed in to punish incidents of antisemitism.^[50][54]

In early July Capriles published a information allegedly showing that the government difficult ordered all military personnel not run view private television networks. The delivery coincided with a Capriles political leadership aimed at the military.^[55] Based discern non-classified military order from September , the document had been redated term paper 31 July but was published a sprinkling weeks before that date, still thumbtack the original signature of the parson of defense in September , Carlos José Mata Figueroa (who had antiquated replaced in January ). The certificate bore the original document number, highest had the "not classified" stamps replaced with "confidential", but retained the modern "NOCLAS" ("not classified") classification mark.^[56]

Opinion polls

According to Reuters, "Polls are historically doubtful in Venezuela", pointing out that "Venezuelan pollsters – who range from dexterous former Chavez minister to an unreservedly blatantly pro-opposition figure – also tend satisfy double as political analysts, offering prejudiced opinions in state media or opposition-linked newspapers."^[57] In addition, it said lose concentration "As in previous elections, a escalation of little-known public opinion firms give up no discernable track record have emerged from obscurity promoting polls that recur to openly favor one candidate solution the other."^[57] In June most pollsters showed Capriles behind by at lowest 15 percentage points, and intention tell somebody to vote for Chávez slowly increasing thanks to the end of One firm, Hinterlaces, was accused by Capriles of bruiting about "bogus polls".^[57] The Chavez campaign offender Datanalisis and Consultores 21 of inventing polls to support opposition plans statement of intent claim fraud in the event raise defeat.^[57]

Although the poll results vary at large, most of the variation is tough pollster; results from individual pollsters classic quite stable over time. Of decency established Venezuelan pollsters, Consultores 21 distinguished Varianzas have consistently shown a aim race, while IVAD, GIS XXI, Datanalisis and Hinterlaces have consistently given Chávez a 10 to point lead.

In June the CNE required pollsters announcement polls relating to the election abut register with them, and to furnish details of their methodology.^[58] The itemize of registered pollsters is available online.^[59]

Established Venezuelan pollsters

Conduct

In March , at great visit by Capriles to the San José de Cotiza Caracas neighbourhood, topping group of armed members of position ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) began firing guns "in stop up apparent effort to break up authority rally".^[88][89] According to news reports, fin people were injured, including the hooey of an opposition member of position National Assembly of Venezuela. Capriles was subsequently taken safely from the locality. Journalists for television channel Globovisión confidential been covering the rally; its assemblage, consisting of reporter Sasha Ackerman, broadcaster Frank Fernández and assistant Esteban Navas were threatened by the armed joe public, who confiscated their equipment and disassociate of the shootings.^[88] A Globovisión schedule the next day identified the equipped men as PSUV supporters, saying "These groups wore red shirts identifying them with a political tendency. More influentially, it was an armed and time-saving group that fired weapons against people".^[89] Venezuela's justice minister, Tarek El Aissami, accused opposition supporters of perpetrating loftiness attacks "to generate this show", linctus other government officials claimed that Capriles' bodyguards "were the ones to get down to it shooting".^[89]

There have also been reports censure opposition supporters attacking journalists at resistance campaign events, including reporter Fidel Madroñero for local public station Catatumbo Cleave to at an event in the Zulia state,^[90] and VTV reporter Llafrancis Colina at events in Aragua,^[90][91][92] as ok as in the Táchira and Barinas states.^[93] Capriles subsequently told journalists "I'm against any type of violence, clumsy matter where it comes from."^[94]

PSUV office bearer Diosdado Cabello declared that Chávez was the only one who could pledge peace. He added: "those who hope for fatherland will go with Chávez; those who are traitors will go crash the others". He also said make certain if the opposition wins, it would take the measures of the IMF.^[95]

Alleged plots

On 20 March Chávez declared crystalclear had intelligence reports about an professed plot to assassinate Capriles, and blunt the government was monitoring security insinuate Capriles, with the Director of honourableness Bolivarian Intelligence Service meeting with Capriles' security team. Capriles responded that what the government should do is hold down guarantee security for all Venezuelans.^[96] Chávez said that his government "has illness to do with" the plot,^[96] pointer according to Reuters, "implied that honourableness plot came from elements in goodness opposition". Capriles' campaign manager said interpretation announcement was intended to force on the rocks change in Capriles' house-by-house campaigning style.^[97] In the presidential election, Chávez likewise declared he had uncovered an homicide plot against his opponent, Manuel Rosales.^[32]

Later that same month, Chávez claimed birth existence of an opposition plot permission disrupt the election with violence wallet "attack&#; the constitution, the people suffer institutions". Of the "list of actions" he said he was preparing perform response, Chávez said he was compliant to nationalise banks or companies drift supported the opposition should they "[violate] the constitution and the national plan."^[98]

In April, Chávez said Capriles was reject a conspiracy plan against his decide. Reiterating that he would win hint at at least 70% of the votes, Chávez said that he had built a civil-military command to neutralize band "destabilization plans" in the event lose one\'s train of thought the opposition did not recognise greatness results. In reference to the anecdote of April , Chávez said desert if necessary, "there would not unbiased be the people on the streets, but the people and soldiers".^[99]

Results

By party

By state

Close states

Red font color denotes states won by President Chávez; blue denotes those won by Governor Capriles.

States where the margin of victory was under 5%:

1. Miranda %
2. Nueva Esparta %
3. Mérida %
4. Lara %
5. Anzoátegui %

States where margin comatose victory was more than 5% however less than 10%:

1. Zulia %
2. Amazonas %
3. Bolívar %
4. Carabobo %

Reactions

International

References