- Title: VENEZUELA: Country keeps loyalty to Chavez in municipal elections
- Date: 9th December 2013
- Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (DECEMBER 9, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING IN STREET VARIOUS OF NEWSPAPER SELLER VARIOUS OF FRONT COVERS OF NEWSPAPERS WITH NEWS OF MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RESIDENT, SAYING: "Everything was calm and well organised and you can see the popular expression of the people." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE READING THE NEWSPAPER (SOUNDBIT
- Embargoed: 24th December 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
- Country: Venezuela
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVALQGRQJ58CQKSZCUXPM75UJB2
- Story Text: Venezuela awoke on Monday (December 9) to news President Nicolas Maduro's ruling Socialist Party had won the most votes in weekend municipal elections.
Newspaper front-covers carried news that with three-quarters of the 337 mayoral races counted by Monday morning, the Socialists and their allies had 49 percent of votes, compared to 43 percent for the opposition coalition and its partners.
That result derailed efforts by Maduro's critics to turn the vote into a show of disapproval for his government and the legacy of late socialist leader Hugo Chavez.
Resident, Carlos Ramirez, said the populism still ran deep in Venezuela.
"Everything was calm and well organised and you can see the popular expression of the people."
As Caracas residents prepared to start their day, many were seen reading the newspapers.
Another Caracas resident Maria Flete said loyalty to the commander was kept.
"Loyalty in the revolutionary process was kept and that to the commander."
The president's candidates benefited from a populist crackdown in November to force merchants to slash prices of goods such as TVs, car parts and home hardware.
Maduro's personal approval rating jumped sharply after he instituted the economic measures, which won over consumers weary of the country's 54 percent annual inflation. Maduro blames the rising prices on an "economic war" he says is financed by political adversaries.
The initial steps focused on home appliances and later extended to controls on rent of commercial buildings such as shopping malls, to try to lower prices.
Nevertheless, motorbike taxi driver, Alvaro Garcia, said the opposition had advanced.
"They (municipal elections) were good and the opposition advanced quite a lot."
Sunday's election was the biggest political test for Maduro since he narrowly won a presidential election in April following Chavez's death from cancer. He called the results a tribute to the late leader whose 14-year rule polarized the OPEC nation. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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