# Venezuelan presidential election, 10/07/12: Chavez v. Capriles **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 10, 2012, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-presidential-election-10-07-12-chavez-v-capriles/624750 "2012-06-10T19:33:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-presidential-election-10-07-12-chavez-v-capriles/624750/1 "2012-06-10T19:33:53Z")
[Venezuelan presidential election, October 7, 2012.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venezuelan_presidential_election,_2012) [President Hugo Chavez Frias,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Ch%C3%A1vez) in office since 1999, is running for another six-year term. [Even though he has cancer.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Ch%C3%A1vez#Cancer_and_further_nationalisation) He has already survived a [coup attempt in 2002](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_Venezuelan_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat_attempt) and a [recall election in 2004.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venezuelan_recall_referendum,_2004) His administration has been marked by his leftist [“Bolivarian Revolution,”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolivarian_Revolution) and his attempt to organize an international grouping of Latin American states called the [Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolivarian_Alliance_for_the_Americas) (other members are Cuba, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Ecuador, and some small Caribbean islands states). He is the candidate of the [United Socialist Party of Venezuela](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Socialist_Party_of_Venezuela) and, more broadly, of the [Great Patriotic Pole](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Patriotic_Pole) (_snerk_) coalition. Chavez’ opponent is [Henrique Capriles Radonski,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henrique_Capriles_Radonski) who just today led a [huge march in Caracas](http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/chavez-foe-leads-massive-1455523.html) to kick off his campaign. He is the candidate of the center-right [Justice First Party](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice_First) and of the broad Chavez-opposition alliance, the [Coalition for Democratic Unity.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalition_for_Democratic_Unity) I dunno who I like here, frankly. I’m a lefty and everything, but Chavez is way too Bonapartist-presidentialist – which is a Latin-American tradition, I suppose, but a revolution should not be about one guy, and only an egomaniac would stay in this after a cancer diagnosis. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-presidential-election-10-07-12-chavez-v-capriles/624750/2 "2012-06-12T02:04:23Z")
[Chavez stages “cancer comeback rally.”](http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/11/venezuela-election-idUSL1E8HBD2G20120611) ---
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-presidential-election-10-07-12-chavez-v-capriles/624750/3 "2012-06-12T12:53:40Z")
Honestly, it’s hard for me to imagine Capriles having much of a chance. Even if elections are fair, Chavez’s control over the media gives him far too much influence. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2012, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-presidential-election-10-07-12-chavez-v-capriles/624750/4 "2012-06-28T04:33:33Z")
Hm. [A new poll shows Chavez only slightly ahead of Capriles, just 3.4%.](http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/27/us-venezuela-election-idUSBRE85Q1QJ20120627) ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2012, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-presidential-election-10-07-12-chavez-v-capriles/624750/5 "2012-06-29T01:06:50Z")
I watched this documentary by [John Pilger](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8LWoU7ii9E) a while back. I also watched this interview with [Chomsky](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8L2XW1wvC0). I know a Venezuelan guy on another forum for whom Chavez is intolerable (and prison conditions there do seem draconian, per his description). Chavez also has pretty reactionary views on video games. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2012, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-presidential-election-10-07-12-chavez-v-capriles/624750/6 "2012-06-29T01:40:51Z")
Hopefully Chavez will be dead by then. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2012, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-presidential-election-10-07-12-chavez-v-capriles/624750/7 "2012-06-29T02:48:35Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > Hopefully Chavez will be dead by then. What, by October? Doubtful. ---
**Author:** ![New\_Deal\_Democrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9d8465/32.png) [@New\_Deal\_Democrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New_Deal_Democrat)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2012, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-presidential-election-10-07-12-chavez-v-capriles/624750/8 "2012-06-29T15:46:45Z")
I liked Chavez when he was poking his thumb in George W. Bush’s eye and getting away with it. 😃 Nevertheless, Venezuela has one of the highest murder rates in the world. :eek: > **[List of countries by intentional homicide rate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate)** > > The list of countries by UNODC homicide rate is typically expressed in units of deaths per 100,000 individuals per year. A homicide rate of 30 (out of 100,000) corresponds to 0.03% of the population dying by homicide. The reliability of underlying national murder rate data may vary. Only UNODC-vetted data is used in the main table below. In some cases it may not be as up to date as other sources. See further down as to why its data is used over other sources. > Research suggests that intentional ... It has grown under Chavez. It might be time for a change. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2012, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-presidential-election-10-07-12-chavez-v-capriles/624750/9 "2012-06-29T21:37:07Z")
> [@New\_Deal\_Democrat](#): > > I liked Chavez when he was poking his thumb in George W. Bush’s eye and getting away with it. 😃 > > Nevertheless, Venezuela has one of the highest murder rates in the world. :eek: > > [List of countries by intentional homicide rate - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate) > > It has grown under Chavez. It might be time for a change. Well, is Capriles running on a law-&-order platform? Anybody know? ---
**Author:** ![florez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9e5f3/32.png) [@florez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/florez)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2012, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-presidential-election-10-07-12-chavez-v-capriles/624750/10 "2012-06-29T21:55:32Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Well, is Capriles running on a law-&-order platform? Anybody know? There are rumors that capriles is not exactly about law and order. > **[Capriles Radonski, Terrorist, Candidate for President in Venezuela](http://venezuelawearewithyou.blogspot.com/2012/02/capriles-radonski-terrorist-candidate.html)** > > Venezuela: A close look at opposition candidate Capriles Radonski by Jean-Guy Allard (special to ARGENPRESS.info) The right-wing leader Henr... ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2012, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-presidential-election-10-07-12-chavez-v-capriles/624750/11 "2012-06-29T22:41:16Z")
> [@gamerunknown](#): > > I watched this documentary by [John Pilger](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8LWoU7ii9E) a while back. > > I also watched this interview with [Chomsky](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8L2XW1wvC0). I know a Venezuelan guy on another forum for whom Chavez is intolerable (and prison conditions there do seem draconian, per his description). Chavez also has pretty reactionary views on video games. Not reactionary, just authoritarian. After all I don’t think Pol Pot or Chairman Mao would have approved of video games either. Chavez is just Mussolini 1.0 (back when he was a socialist rather than a fascist). ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-presidential-election-10-07-12-chavez-v-capriles/624750/12 "2012-07-01T01:46:54Z")
> [@Qin Shi Huangdi](#): > > Not reactionary, just authoritarian. Well, I was being a bit presumptuous in that characterisation. As it stands, he doesn’t want to return to a world without video games, just one without [violent video games](http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/gamesblog/2010/jan/19/hugo-chavez-games-poison). ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-presidential-election-10-07-12-chavez-v-capriles/624750/13 "2012-07-02T02:06:33Z")
I recall Chavez is also down on any celebration of Halloween in Venezuela, as an instance of Yankee cultural imperialism. Well, of course it is, but lighten up, Hugo! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![florez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9e5f3/32.png) [@florez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/florez)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-presidential-election-10-07-12-chavez-v-capriles/624750/14 "2012-07-02T02:34:37Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I recall Chavez is also down on any celebration of Halloween in Venezuela, OMG, this is just to wicked and cruel, how can people put up with such severity from that monster? ---
**Author:** ![florez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9e5f3/32.png) [@florez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/florez)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-presidential-election-10-07-12-chavez-v-capriles/624750/15 "2012-07-02T03:53:08Z")
I seems like he has tried to deal with some issues of poverty. > **[More than 20,000 Urban Land Titles Granted in Guayana, Venezuela, Since 2002](http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/7048)** > > Over 20,000 urban land titles have been granted to citizens in the Eastern city of Guayana since 2002, revealed the President of the Venezuelan Guayana Corporation (CVG), Rafael Gil Barrios, last Sunday. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-presidential-election-10-07-12-chavez-v-capriles/624750/16 "2012-07-02T04:45:58Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > What, by October? Doubtful. OTOH, I don’t think it likely he’ll live to finish another six-year term. Venezuelans and the world had better start thinking about Life After Hugo. Specifically, does this “Bolivarian Revolution” have enough on-the-ground momentum to survive him, or not? ---
**Author:** ![florez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9e5f3/32.png) [@florez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/florez)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-presidential-election-10-07-12-chavez-v-capriles/624750/17 "2012-07-02T18:11:48Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > OTOH, I don’t think it likely he’ll live to finish another six-year term. Venezuelans and the world had better start thinking about Life After Hugo. Specifically, does this “Bolivarian Revolution” have enough on-the-ground momentum to survive him, or not? Agreed, and is there any hint that he might be grooming someone else to do the job? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-presidential-election-10-07-12-chavez-v-capriles/624750/18 "2012-07-16T17:20:35Z")
[Chavez leads in the polls, 46.1 to 30.8.](http://in.news.yahoo.com/venezuelas-chavez-maintains-lead-over-rival-capriles-poll-144329615.html) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-presidential-election-10-07-12-chavez-v-capriles/624750/19 "2012-10-05T02:56:02Z")
Election approaching! This Sunday! I predict Chavez wins another term. I lay no odds on whether he will finish it. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2012, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/venezuelan-presidential-election-10-07-12-chavez-v-capriles/624750/20 "2012-10-08T03:27:18Z")
Chavez wins. I have to mention that I’m on the record that I only tolerate Chavez as most of the opposition still looks to turn the clock back on even the reforms the people supports. And one reason for the tolerance is that once again, like Voltaire would say, the enemies of Chavez are stupid. They just repeated the maneuver that relied on early unreliable exit polls and counted on compliant media to repeat what they claimed. I usually like to look at how media sources behave in cases like this, and predictably the right wing media in Venezuela reported on that early bit that some exit poll outfit had reported a Chavez loss, and over here woo woo right wing sites like the [Dailycaller.com](http://Dailycaller.com) did so too, but it is interesting to look at “slightly” more serious media. On a previous election “The Independent” of the UK took the bait, but this time they were careful, but not so Business Insider > **[HUGO CHAVEZ PROCLAIMED WINNER OF VENEZUELAN ELECTION](https://www.businessinsider.com/a-venezuelan-exit-poll-shows-chavez-losing-2012-10)** As before, this item is important IMHO as it shows the levels some sources are reaching to incite violence to further their aims. It is important to notice that even though the opposition lost by ten % points, it was closer than in previous elections, IMHO it was close because Capriles did promise that many of Chavez reforms would continue, but it seems that the people then also thought that then it would be better that Chavez should be one to continue making those reforms. Just like before, I would prefer to see soon a different candidate from the left to put the clownish and ugly baggage that Chavez has away. (The current Vice President is an intellectual and I would had preferred to see him as president rather than Chavez, but I suspect that many over in Venezuela did keep in mind the uncertain health of Chavez and also liked his vice President.)