VENUEZELA: Reactions after a televised presidential debate of candidates hoping to dethrone President Hugo Chavez

Record ID: 593326

  • Title: VENUEZELA: Reactions after a televised presidential debate of candidates hoping to dethrone President Hugo Chavez
  • Date: 16th November 2011
  • Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (NOVEMBER 15, 2011) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF CITY PEOPLE WALKING IN STREETS VARIOUS OF NEWSPAPER STAND
  • Embargoed: 1st December 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
  • Country: Venezuela
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA3Q0WKUCT2EE4D169U0T0RALQX
  • Story Text: Venezuelans reacted on Tuesday (November 15), a day after presidential candidates hoping to dethrone President Hugo Chavez held a rare debate in the capital Caracas.
    The five contenders, who hope to take advantage of Chavez's health problems and discontent over high crime rates, held their first televised debate Monday.
    News of the debate dominated local headlines on Tuesday, with one paper trumpeting the headline 'Democracy is starting to win'. The opposition says the socialist leader of being heavy-headed and authoritarian, and hope some candidate can put an end to his rule.
    "It was rather interesting because it was the first debate and it cleared up a lot of things. They should do more debates like this, not just from the point of view of the opposition but from all public sectors," said labourer Prudencio Tuesday.
    Maria Acosta said she hoped debates would develop to include Chavez, known for being long-winded.
    "I would like for there to be a debate between the government and the opposition. That would be fantastic. At least people would be less divided here. There are two groups here, the Chavez supporters and the opposition," she said.
    The debate was organized by the Student Movement and held at the Catholic University in Caracas.
    The three frontrunners on the stage were Henrique Capriles Radonski (Primero Justicia), Pablo Pérez (Un Nuevo Tiempo), Leopoldo Lopez (Voluntad Popular), joined by two independent candidates Diego Arria (Independent) and María Corina Machado (Independent).
    The candidates answered questions asked by a moderator and gave statements affirming why they wanted to run for their nations highest office.
    The 39-year old Capriles Radonski leads polls to win the Democratic Unity coalition's primary vote in February 2012. He is the governor of Venezuela's most populous state, Miranda.
    Chavez has been battling cancer, which he says has been beat by chemotherapy treatments, but seems to be energized since his most recent treatments.
    "It goes down on October 7. We are convincingly knock out the Venezuelan bourgeoisie," Chavez said at a rally Sunday.
    Whoever wins in February faces a formidable battle against Chavez. His approval ratings have risen to near-60 percent on a sympathy bounce over his illness and he has accumulated a large election war-chest on the back of high oil revenues.
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