VENEZUELA: Venezuelas opposition candidate Henrique Capriles leads anti-Chavez march as presidential race hots up.

Record ID: 346602

  • Title: VENEZUELA: Venezuelas opposition candidate Henrique Capriles leads anti-Chavez march as presidential race hots up.
  • Date: 15th July 2012
  • Summary: CAPRILES SUPPORTERS DURING RALLY CAPRILES WITH SUPPORTERS
  • Embargoed: 30th July 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
  • Country: Venezuela
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA8NIQRUBEGABHDVA0IK81HEKX3
  • Story Text: Opposition candidate for Venezuela's hotly contested presidential election Henrique Capriles rallies thousands of supporters onto Caracas' streets as he looks to close Hugo Chavez's wide lead in polls.
    Thousands of supporters of Venezuela's opposition presidential candidate, Henrique Capriles, took to the streets of Caracas on Sunday (July 15) calling for an end to Hugo Chavez's socialist rule over the South American country.
    Looking to overcome President Chavez's popular rapport with the country's poor and lower classes, centre-left Capriles led supporters through the capital to call on voters to back his vision for Venezuela's future.

    "This government has already had 14 years, what can they offer after 14 years. They have nothing new to offer and I am here to take on this commitment and offer to everyone a future," declared Capriles.
    During campaigning the opposition has attacked Chavez's strangle hold over the government, accusing the outspoken leader of failing to curtail rampant corruption under his reign and not effectively utilising Venezuela's unprecedented oil bonanza to tackle crippling poverty.
    Hitting out at recent Chavez political advertisements that critics say compares the socialist president to God, Capriles took a dig at his political rival.

    "May God bless our people, God bless Venezuela, remember God is first and then the people. Get up Venezuela, get up Caracas," he said.
    Chavez is banking on a post-cancer political resurgence in Venezuela after three successful operations to remove two malignant tumours during a year-long battle.
    The popular president has a two-digit lead in most polls, but there is a large percentage of undecided voters and one respected local pollster this week put the pair head-to-head.
    Most analysts agree the vote is shaping into Venezuela's closest since Chavez took power in 1999.
    Capriles - a centre-left politician who admires Brazil's mix of free-market economics with strong welfare policies - is considered the opposition's best hope after being outwitted for years by Chavez.
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