Venezuela Voters Turn Out in Huge Numbers

Voters turned out in huge numbers Sunday to decide whether to keep populist President Hugo Chavez in power or oust him and his social revolution that critics say has sidelined the middle class and fueled tensions between rich and poor. Activists on both sides set off huge firecrackers and played recorded bugle songs to wake voters hours before dawn. Voters turned out in droves, waiting in line for five hours or more to cast ballots in the historic vote.

It was the first time in Venezuela's history that a referendum on cutting short a president's term in office has been held. The vote will determine whether the country continues with Chavez's social revolution, his centralizing of power in the presidency and close ties with Cuba — policies that have deeply divided the nation.

"This is the largest turnout I have ever seen," exclaimed former President Jimmy Carter, who was helping to monitor the vote. "There are thousands of people in line, waiting patiently and without any disturbance." Lines snaked for many blocks outside polling stations in upscale anti-Chavez neighborhoods and in slums where the president maintains a loyal following because of his social programs on behalf of the poor, including scholarships, medical care and literacy campaigns.

Many Venezuelans adore the 50-year-old former army paratrooper for his efforts to improve the lives of the impoverished majority in the nation of 25 million. But critics say his "revolutionary" rhetoric has vilified the middle class and widened the gap between rich and poor. Many fear he is gradually imposing a Cuba-style dictatorship.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040815/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/venezuela_recall_21

sigh...
Go Hugo!!!!

...and all the more reason for us to get out the vote. This typically benefits the Democratic candidate, since the repugs know they're outnumbered in the first place, they always turn out for the vote.

In America, both parties battle for the middle. The left claims one party, the right claims the other, but the parties themselves try to claim the middle out of fear of losing.

That's why so many voters don't bother to vote.

are poor, the policies which appeal to the people in the middle of the bell curve will include things like spending oil dollars on schools and hospitals.

or our political system favors the candidates who will kiss our elites buttes instead of working to make citizens' lives better.

turnout.

I'm hopin',
I'm hopin',
I'm hopin',
I'm hopin'

dictatorship. Could it be the organizations that have taken money from the bush* administration (secretly) to undermine the Chavez government? That would be my guess.

abused by Pro-Chavez thugs for the 'crime' of speaking out against Chavez.

If Chavez wins, I'll be looking for jobs for a Geologist, a Surgeon, and a Medical BioChemist. They'll be fleeing the country in fear.

I know a Venezuelan doctor who works with poor people up in the hills. He won't be fleeing.

Let the oligopolists flee. People like the guy I know will be happy to contribute to VZ society and reap the rewards of the growing MIDDLE CLASS economy.

to post my opinion on this subject.

Oligopolist? These people aren't 'Oligarcha', they are the MIDDLE CLASS that Chavez is destroying in the name of the 'people'. Chavez tried to overthrow the government in the early 90's to become a right wing military dictator; when that failed he changed his stripes to become a left wing dictator. The part that's important to him is the 'dictator'.

Driving out the middle class to create the middle class makes about no sense at all.

Glad you're learning.

Better luck next time spewing lies.

I post what I've been told by my family members, and you call me a liar.

Fuck You. Sincerly.

Call me mislead, tell me that these are isolated incidents if you want, call me misinformed, but call me a liar and I'll ask you to step outside.

The problem with these boards are the same as any other, step on peoples toes by contradicting what they want to believe, and they call you a liar.

Free Republic is like this. I thought this place was better.

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

Always happens when I say anything about Venezuala. Since I don't conform, there's always an 'expert' to accuse me of lies, or spounting propaganda, or being a CIA plant.

I provided anecdotes. Personal stories, told to me by people I trust in Venezuala. Others provide news stories, told by people they trust. Of course, I could spend time finding links that contradict the others. I imagine that if I did, people would claim the links were biased and ignore them. So, I shant bother.

I've told my stories, given my warnings.

If I'm a liar, it's because I've believed people I know better than I know you. People living in Caracas; people who grew up in Venezuala. Not people posting on internet boards and playing flamebait games.

No doubt, you'll point out my foul mouth. And yes, I have one. But I respond with anger to people who call me names. So, sir or madam who declines to state,

Never mind. It's not worth it. Why do I bother? Is it because I hear the fear in my inlaws voices? Is it because that I know that the stories coming out of Venezuala from both sides aren't true? Caught between Chavez psuedo leftist on one side, and the CIA backed Oligarcha on the other, where will my family go? Perhaps Canada; it seems the United States doesn't like refugees from the wrong government.

You would condemn millions to awful lives to protect the privileges of a few family members?

If your family members make money from work, they will better off in the long run with fewer poor people and a bigger middle class. Do they make money from whatever the oligopoly is willing to let flow down, or do they make money from fair and efficient marketplace capitalism?

Your characterization of Chavez's politics is outrageous.

Is he going to take away their BMWs?

Just because Bush hates him.

I support my family. I believe them when they tell me things. Not press accounts from people with a agenda, but people I know who want what is best for thier country. And if thier country becomes too bad to save, they will flee.

Wouldn't you do the same?

All the help are gonna be all uppity. It will be twice as hard to find good washer women and cabana boys. Balle!

"The help gets all uppity."

Yeah, they rape your daughters.

My Bro in Law Surgeon WORKS IN A CLINIC FOR THE POOR. But of course, you didn't know that. And since he objects to Chavez, he must be one of the "Oligarcha".

Damn, I should know better. Saying bad things about Chavez here is like saying bad things about Reagan on Free Republic; it Just Isn't Done.

Seems a little risky!

Since he has no employees, just coworkers under him (you know, surgeons have the nurses and aids and such); he wasn't having a problem with his coworkers.

Pro-Chavez thugs assaulted his wife and daughter, not employees or coworkers.

Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Now you're saying that thugs, whom your relative knows to have favored Hugo Chavez politically, raped not only his daughter, but also his wife?

How would he know their political disposition? Maybe they were poor people who thought overly highly of their own importance and identified with the wealthy!

It appears they didn't know their place!

It gives you a clue, eh?

Why do I bother? Bush hates Chavez, therefor Chavez must be good. I should know better than to try.

and told them the reason they did it is because they didn't support Hugo Chávez? It seems the surgeon's story is getting more complex.

I have a hard time understanding this. However, the poor can be so scarey, can't they?

I guess I should have taken notes when I took the phone call two years ago. But I didn't know I'd be quized.

Not that it matters.

Bush hates Chavez, therefore we must support Chavez. "Support what your enemy opposes and oppose what your enemy supports."

Sorry for wasting your time.

very concerned. THINKING people, not scheming people.

Truly decent people wouldn't want to perpetrate the horrendous, severe poverty which the oligarchy has maintained in Venezuela.

They'd be deeply disturbed by it.

Rule by the Oligarcha mercs...

Or rule by Chavez thugs.

No win situation. Kind of like if the choice in a election was between Joe Stalin and Adolf Hitler.

No, I'm not comparing Chavez or the Oligarcha to either.

allowing a recall to proceed despite the fact that he hasn't even finished his term - at term that over 80% of the people ELECTED him to do in the first place.

Yeah, he's such a "dictator" - not at all like the minority loser pResident WE have here!

A dictator who has encourage a nation of people who carry copies of the constitution in their back pockets?

What an evil dictator.

Yeah, ok. Hitler was elected, too. I guess he wasn't a dictator.

I read it was near 76-80%

No where near 59%.

The last election was held in 2000, a Chavez victory with 60% of the vote.

election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias reelected president; percent of vote - 60%
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2006)

CIA World Factbook

I'm certain his win was considered signifigant by any standards.

I've also read numerous times that the percentage of people living in poverty in Venezuela is 80%, and I've seen it as high as 85%.

Also, his election in 1998 provided the largest victory in Venezuela in over 4 decades. No small matter.

Oh, wait, he LOST the popular vote but is considered legitmate, but Chavez is a "dictator" and he won in a landslide.

Go figure.

and he received 3.8 million votes.

Hardly the majority, and certainly not 80% of 'the people'.

,...and control the greed & abuse of the elite is a means of widening the middle class. Every "objective" account of this leader's aims has proven that he refuses to be defeated by corporatists who don't give a damn about anyone but themselves.

and a growing middle class led by an elected president make their country become "too bad?"

Go to Caracas. Try to buy milk. Or candles. Or a hundred other things. Prices are higher than ever. Inflation.

Where are you getting your "Propaganda"?

-

You know, Grandpa was a fisherman, Dad a government geologist, and the kids all went to college and became archetechs, surgeons, geologists, chemists, medical biochemists, draftsmen, and my wife the crafter... and I've forgotten one. Big family, you know?

And I visited the 3 still living in Venezuala back in 1995. They had nice houses, cars, lived in ok neighborhoods. Worked for a living. Surgeon worked in a government clinic, as did the biochemist. Geologist worked for the government (not oil; metals and minerals).

Little did I realize that these were members of the evil Oligarcha... all that talk back then about how the Oligarcha were ruining the country was just a cover for the fact they were Oligarcha. All the while, they must have had their servants hidden somewhere... I Know! They where living in a 'Potempkin Village'; a set up designed to make them look like they weren't part of the ruling class, all to dupe me into believing...

OK, enough rant.

Given the income balance in Venezuala, they're probably in the top 25%. Not the very top, not part of the inherited class... but part of what would be the upper middle class. The well off; first generation wealth. The ones the upper class snears at for trying to get above thier place. They voted for Chavez the first time up. They voted against him this time, and unless things change, they'll vote against him in 2006.

They are my family. They talk of how the poor need hope; and better food and education; how the Oligarcha wouldn't give it to them... and how Chavez wouldn't either. They live in Caracas, not in the suburbs.

by men who told them they had raped them because the wife and daughter were not Chavez supporters.

In this post you've just said "They voted against him this time, and unless things change, they'll vote against him in 2006."

If they were being raped for being anti-Chavez, why didn't they call out they actually voted for Chavez, and save everyone, including us, a lot of trouble?

Since I've never been raped, I don't know why they didn't think fast on thier feet and lie... but would people assaulting you for being Anti-Chavez believe you when you told them you weren't to get out of being assaulted?

I guess I was supposed to quiz him and his family on all the details of what happened; I won't make that mistake the next time.

who have... let me see here:

been killed? nope
been exiled? nope
been imprisoned? nope
ok, at least they must have been forbidden from engaging in politics? nope

they are free, running the opposition. Now you tell me, what knid of dictator survives a coup and lets his enemies go scott-free??

howcum all the anti-Chavez media outlets are still open and broadcasting?

They are real, live, Oligarcha Pricks who can afford mercs to keep them safe.

Unlike my relatives, who cannot.

I wonder if this was Tom Delay's idea...
"It was the first time in Venezuela's history that a referendum on cutting short a president's term in office has been held. The vote will determine whether the country continues with Chavez's social revolution, his centralizing of power in the presidency and close ties with Cuba — policies that have deeply divided the nation."

It seems to be a regular right wing tactic now, having recall elections; redistricting to give themselves an edgelike the recent Texas redistricting. The will of the people means less than nothing to these bastards.

That's our REpublicans!

Voters turned out in huge numbers Sunday to decide whether to keep populist President Hugo Chavez in power or oust him and his social revolution that critics say has sidelined the middle class and fueled tensions between rich and poor.

I just love the way the capitalist press portrays the situation on Venezuela. The so-called "middle class" are nothing but elitist pukes that have reaped all of the profits of the oil industry at the expense of the workers and peasants. As to tensions between rich and poor, the rich have been waging class warfare against the workers since time immemorial. What these morons fear is what Chavez has accomplished: he has given power to the people!

America could use a healthy dose of mass struggle and class warfare!

Isn't the middle class another word for the bourgeoisie?

I always get amused at this elevation of the middle class, even if I'm a member in some ways these days. I was a member of the working class for 20 years. Technically I guess I'm middle class these days. Being an artist & part of the intelligentsia (in the old sense of the word) I'm not sure where I'd place myself.

As far as language goes, that is the language of political discourse these days, there seems to be a real conscientious effort to make the working class disappear by blurring the distinction between bourgeoisie and working class into one muddled middle class.

You mean the 15% just outside of the top 5%?

You're referring more to Venezuala than the US though aren't you?

I'm not sure offhand what the stats are in the US.

And if they couldn't work, they wouldn't have money.

Poor people are people who don't have any money whether they work or not.

Upper class are people who'd still have wealth and power if they didn't have to work.

for being polarizing.

Why cant they blame the oligopolists for having problems letting go? Why is it Chavez's fault that these people have criminal tendencies?

Hundreds of thousands throughout the country took to the streets at dawn this August 15 in groups of 10, 15 , 20 people flooding to the different voting centers in popular zones such as El 23 de Enero, Petare, El Valle, Catia, Caricuao, and many others.

While the private media gave priority to voting centers in wealthy areas, state channel, Venezolana de Television (VTV) and alternative and community media gave a more balanced coverage of what was going on in the barrios.

Huge lines formed from 4:00 a.m. at schools and other locations, converted into voting centers, seeming to guarantee an overwhelmingly Chavez triumph ... made all the more impressive by demonstrations of sound civil and revolutionary judgment among the people.Together, Chavez Frias and the Venezuelan people have followed the path of revolution through peaceful and civil means ... contrary to the tactics of the opposition, who have been attempting to taint the process with violence and blood.

At 6:00 a.m. one of the most radical members of the Coordinadora Democratica (CD) opposition declared in an interview on state channel TV that ... if Chavez won ... they would recognize the triumph. It was the first time ever in opposition history that such a clear declaration had been made that they would accept such an outcome.


http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=22435

That's what my wingnut sparring partner said when Fuhrer Ahhhnuld was waging his putsch. He said, "Whaaaa? You Libs should be FOR this thing. It's a Lib idea!" I said that some wingnut Darryl ISSA buying signatures and fueling discontent with millions of bucks was not what the Lib/Progs had in mind.

How long has this country (Venezuela) been PARALYZED?

...he has been DE-centralizing power. He has devolved a great deal of political power to local governments. It's a key part his strategy for protecting the country from losing democracy in the event he succumbs to a coup.

extended voting hours because of huge turnout

Voting has been extended for four hours in Venezuela where huge numbers have turned out for a referendum on whether Hugo Chavez should remain as president.

Officials decided to keep polling stations open until 2000 (0000 GMT), faced with long queues of voters that stunned even veteran election monitors. The president's opponents called the referendum, accusing him of dictatorial behaviour and economic mismanagement. But his supporters say he is the first leader to care about Venezuela's poor.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3566970.stm

:dem:

the rich or the middle class in Venezula supported a corrupt goverment. Chavez was elected to clean up corruption and that's what he's done. the country would be in alot better shape had the elites not sabotaged everything he's tried to do. if the middle class is getting destroyed it's either because they were corrupt or living off the corrupt upper class. Either way, Chavez is good for the country. If he loses the "criminals" will privitize the oil company and that's BAD BAD BAD.

"Officials planned to release preliminary results hours after the polls close Sunday afternoon if one side has a clear lead. The election commission has ruled that only it can release polling figures. Exit polls were banned."

Probably a good idea. I'd read a day or so ago that the challenger was going to announce a win early on based on exit polls.

that is how they cover fraud. Exit polling may be more reliable than the vote "counting" methodology.

Dear Editors,

I am an avid reader of the Independent newspapers online and in print. I hold your paper in very high esteem and I don't hesitate to recommend it to others looking for a more realistic portrayal of world events than US corporate media provide.

I am also a journalist currently working out of Caracas, Venezuela, and as you can imagine I am following the referendum process here extremely carefully as it unfolds. It is in this context that I found the article you published by Hannah Baldock, entitled "Venezuela's Chavez on Brink of Referendum Defeat". It was with great shock and dismay, then, that I read Ms. Baldock's falsification of election results and mistreatment of the political situation here in Venezuela.

This referendum is of extreme importance in Latin America and the United States and the outcome will have far reaching repercussions. I can't begin to fathom why, in such a situation, a reporter would completely fabricate news! I say fabricate and falsify because as of now, 9:30 Caracas time - that is to say, one hour AFTER Ms. Baldock's story was published online - there have been no official election results.

Ms. Baldock claims that the "opposition is boasting 1,758,000 votes to Chavez's 798,000", but offers no source for this figure! She refers to "mid-morning results" - no such results exist outside the minds of the malinformed media and the desperate opposition. Such results, were they actually released, would be illegal, as exit polling has been banned by the Venezuelan government. This ban has been enacted in order to avoid the effects of early poll reporting on late-in-the-day voting, and I worry about the possibility of legal problems for the Independent resulting from this violation of Venezuelan law. It is an abuse of our position to falsify information in order to affect the outcome of democratic processes.

rest of the letter
http://narcosphere.narconews.com/story/2004/8/15/205259/595#3

snip>
Across the capital in the La Pastora slum of brick shanties, thousands of Chavez supporters rose before dawn to ``reveille'' bugle calls from loudspeakers. Hours later, many were still calmly waiting to vote under a radiant Caribbean sun.

Miguel Rodriguez, a 41-year-old bus driver, helped the get-out-the-vote effort by transporting Chavez supporters to voting centers.

``Chavez is working hard to improve life for the impoverished, giving them opportunities that past governments never even considered,'' Rodriguez said.

Chavez has directed spending from government coffers, beefed up by huge oil revenues, to pay for literacy programs, scholarships and free medical care for Venezuela's majority poor. Thousands of Cuban doctors, dentists and nurses, sent by Chavez's friend Cuban President Fidel Castro, work in poor barrios across this South American nation.

He has often lashed out at the rich, even referring to them as ``devils,'' and he has alienated the United States with his criticism of of Washington's economic and foreign policies.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4423897,00.html

I can't wait.....

Exit polls have been banned and results are not expected for several hours after polls close.



http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3566970.stm

to the huge turnout! :toast:

Polls are expected to be open from 6:00 a.m. thru 6:00 p.m. or until the last person votes.


New York Times
By early afternoon, some polling sites reported that only a fraction of the voters registered to cast ballots had voted — with most still waiting in long lines that snaked along streets. By 1:30 p.m., after barely seven hours of voting, electoral authorities announced that polling sites would remain open two hours past the initial 6 p.m. deadline to ensure that everyone who wanted to vote could.

Since U.S. Central time is 6 hours earlier than GMT, I would think that 8pm Venezuelan time sounds about right -- fwiw, of course.

sw

have been under the previous system. In a shocking moment of affected concern, El Universal has gotten together a small collection of photos of the poor, in its Tribute to the Poor! Oh, their hearts runneth over! Andrés Mata, publisher.























&imgrefurl=http://www.eluniversal.com/eng/foto-reportaje/barrios/fmj_01.html&h=233&w=350&sz=187&tbnid=MRx5NhBaDeEJ:&tbnh=77&tbnw=115&start=2&prev=/images%3Fq%3DCaracas%2Bslums%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26c2coff%3D1%26sa%3DG">~~~~ more ~~~~

President Hugo Chavez waved to crowds after he voted in Caracas, Venezuela.

nyt article is up

http://nytimes.com/2004/08/15/international/americas/15CND-VENE.html?hp

to the American people? And Hugo Chavez has had a death threat hanging over his head from a long time ago, just as you might expect for anyone who doesn't put the same pointless, grabby parasites first.

Thanks a lot. That really brightens up the afternoon. He's a very decent man.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Daleo, good post. They have different goals from the ones they attempt to project. Far different. They appear to trip themselves up trying to conceal their motives.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Last Update: Monday, August 16, 2004. 7:01am (AEST)

Oil markets are watching the Venezualan vote closely. (ABC)

Venezuela's presidential recall vote extended
By Clinton Porteous

A massive turnout of voters in Venezuela for a presidential recall referendum which international markets are watching keenly has forced the electoral commission to extend voting for an extra four hours.

People started lining up at 3:00am to try to cast their order votes. Some people waited up to 10 hours.

Massive queues forced the electoral commission to announce that voting booths would remain open until 8:00pm.
(snip/...)

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200408/s1177076.htm

Selected photos of the Venezuelan "opposition" as they drag their opporessed butts into the streets to pray for change!





http://www.urru.org/fotos/20030820_firmas/0$6917a9e0$4.jpg







These dumb Cheney-faces appear to feel this is as serious as going to a football game. Cheney them all!

Why not combine social protest with a little sun-bathing and merry-making, after all?

How many times do you see people wearing SUITS in a protest? (Or bathing suits!)

These people are absurd.

Viva Chavez!

says Jan 12 2003?

They were taken from the internet, and probably represent several different protests since April 2002. There have been quite a few, you should know since the coup.

I'm on your side, but I had to point out that this pic DOES have that date right on it. I didn't see it myself until I looked a second time at your post after I saw the question posted.

I hope you will also read my other post where I addressed the date question.

sw
:hi:

fell within the time period I was trying to represent with the use of several photos of anti-Chavez demonstrators.

I regret if it was possible to see my post as an attempt to pretend these were taken today.

The poster said these were photos of anti-Chavez people, not that they were photos from today. The photos merely illustrate what the opposition looks like -- notably "white", among other things.

sw

It was really telling hearing Greg Palast's remarks concerning the preponderance of blond people in a demonstration he witnessed.

Seems the Chavez protesters are awfully white compared to their counterparts. Concidence perhaps?

remember "Hugo Chavez Departs"...

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2002/apr2002/nyt-a15.shtml

The Bush administration distinguished itself internationally with its laudatory pronouncements on the abortive military coup in Venezuela. Nowhere, however, did the arrogance and hypocrisy of the US ruling elite find a more finished expression than on the editorial page of the New York Times.

“With yesterday’s resignation of President Hugo Chavez, Venezuelan democracy is no longer threatened by a would-be dictator,” the Times wrote in an editorial published Saturday and entitled “Hugo Chavez Departs.”

“Mr. Chavez, a ruinous demagogue, stepped down after the military intervened and handed power to a respected business leader, Pedro Carmona,” the Times noted happily.

The Ministry of Truth in George Orwell’s 1984—which perfected “newspeak” to define war as peace, slavery as freedom and ignorance as strength—could not have done a better job.

more...

"But critics say his "revolutionary" rhetoric has vilified the middle class and widened the gap between rich and poor."

Why would his critics be concerned that he has widened the gap between rich and poor? Especially when they are worried about vilifying the middle class at the same time. This is either sloppy writing or propaganda.

It is more likely that they are concerned that he has "vilified" the upper classes and that he has narrowed the gap between rich and poor.

"played recorded bugle songs to wake voters hours before dawn"....
Now that's the way things need to be done here....Get these lazy bastards about of bed and to the polls.

The Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, looked to be losing his grip on power last night as exit polls showed him to be trailing the opposition by almost a million votes. The figures were early indications that, for the first time in the country's history, the President may have his term in office cut short by a referendum.

The mid-morning results showed that the opposition, already boasting an enormous 1,758,000 votes to Chavez's 798,000, is well on its way to reaching the target of 3.76 million votes it needs to oust the authoritarian, left-wing President. Turn-out for the referendum was high, with millions of Venezuelans queuing from the early hours at polling stations all over the oil-rich country to decide the political fate of the firebrand Mr Chavez.

The Venezuelan people are tensely awaiting a close-run and disputed result. In the capital, Caracas, government vans equipped with speakers drove through the poor residential districts in the east of the city at 5am, playing a military wake-up call before piping out popular pro-Chavez songs to voters, some of whom had in any case been up all night letting off fireworks, anticipating victory.

"Our commandante has already won," said Eric Caldera, a student queuing to vote against Mr Chavez's recall. "The rich people and TV stations are the only ones who say the opposition is going to win. They want to regain the power and privilege they had before, and loot the country. You can count the rich people on your hand, the poor you can't. They are too many. And they are with Chavez."





http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=551867

It's 10.20 on Monday morning in Sydney, and I've not seen any
results.

Any news anyone?

or has the independant comissioned its own, secret, underground exit polls??

I smell bullshit.

Smells fishy.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x753146

Voting has been extended for a second time in Venezuela where huge numbers have turned out to decide whether Hugo Chavez should remain as president

Voting was initially extended until by two hours until 2000 (0000 GMT), but now people will be allowed to vote until midnight (0400 GMT Monday).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3566970.stm

http://www.eluniversal.com/2004/08/15/en_revo_art_15A483841.shtml

Video parodying CNE's president was not intended to be used in a plot


Journalist Fausto Malavé said a video parodying Francisco Carrasquero, president of the National Electoral Council (CNE), was not intended to be used in any conspiracy.

Malavé said he was part of the team that produced the video, but emphasized it was made with an aim different from using it in a plot.

He said he was surprised by CNE's late reaction, as street vendors have been selling the video for two months.

Malavé said it is evident that the video is an assembling and disqualified CNE directors' attitude of finding "conspiracies everywhere."

Venezuelan Ex-Patriots Cast Ballots in San Francisco for Nation’s Recall Election
Gina Baleria for KCBS-740 AM

(KCBS) - Several Venezuelans living in San Francisco came out to cast their ballots for Venezuela’s recall election.

KCBS reporter Doug Sovern says people who came down to the voting station at the Venezuelan Consulate had strong feelings on the question of whether President Hugo Chavez should remain in office.

“I was here at 6:30 when the polls opened,” said one woman. “I want Chavez to know that we don’t want him anymore.”

But another woman said, “people here who are voting today in favor of this recall are Venezuelans who could afford to leave Venezuela and live in San Francisco.”

She said those supporting the recall are members of Venezuela’s upper class who resent Chavez’s distribution of the country’s oil wealth. She also told KCBS the Bush administration backs the recall, and she wants him to stay out of Venezuela politics.
(snip/...)

http://cbs5.com/news/local/2004/08/15/Venezuelan_Ex-Patriots_Cast_Ballots_in_San_Francisco_for_Nation%92s_Recall_Election.html

1 killed, 12 hurt as gunmen shoot at voters in Venezuela

www.chinaview.cn 2004-08-16 07:10:34


CARACAS, Aug. 15 (Xinhuanet) -- One person was killed and 12 others were wounded Sunday when gunmen opened fire on voters just outside Caracas, during a recall referendum on the political future of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Caracas fire chief Rodolfo Briceno said.

"What we know is that voters were in line and people opened fire from motorbikes, and there are 12 people sustaining bullet wounds and one person died," said Briceno.

He added that the incident occurred in a poor neighborhood about 17 km east of the capital.
(snip/)

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-08/16/content_1795278.htm

I believe the people will vote against the chavez dictatorship.

Or Oligarcha Thugs trying to overthrow it. Hard to tell.

why you are labeling Hugo Chávez a dictator.

The article actually says that it was a line of voters in a POOR neighborhood which attracted gunfire from cowardly thugs.

Most cowardly thugs are the supporters of dictators instead of those that support democracy. I vote for democracy and cival rights.

president of Venezuela as a "dictator"? If so, do you have any empirical evidence to support this characterization? Let's have it.

sw

Chavez is a dictator because thugs opened fire on voters. The thugs are on this camp because thugs are a dictator thing and Chavez is a dictator. Thanks for the laugh!

Ah, and the letters A and I are very far away in the keyboard, so I can see "cival" was not a typo. Hey, A and O are almost as far! (moran - moron)

Edit: typo (U and I are next to each other, mmmkay?)

for him? I can't grasp this truth.

This is not Chavez's doing, I wouldn't believe that for a minute.

And these are the people that Bushco would like to see in power.

The response of those opposed to Mr Chavez, mainly the middle and upper classes, has been a coup attempt in 2002 and a national strike in 2003. Chavez survived those to emerge stronger. The recall referendum will test his popular support once again.

Margarita Mendoza, a street vendor, said: "The rich control all the businesses, the newspapers and everything else. But they can no longer control the people. Chavez will emerge victorious.


The wealth Mr Chavez is seeking to redistribute comes from Venezuela's oil deposits, the largest outside the Middle East. Record oil prices have allowed the president to fund medical and literacy programmes, raise the minimum wage and redistribute land.

Such achievements may ensure poll success.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/08/16/wvenez16.xml&sSheet=/portal/2004/08/16/ixportal.html

While the middle-working-class center of Caracas of Caracas remains calm, despite long lines at polling stations, many of Caracas’ barrios have been reduced to near chaos. Though teams made up of witnesses from both political sides, technicians, and the National Guard are in place to facilitate the votes, fingerprinting technology has failed to arrive at many locations stopping voters from articulating their constitutional rights. In the barrio of ‘El Torre’ in the poor Caracas neighbourhood of Petare, people are refusing to vote in the absence of the legal identification technology.

We will not vote until we are positive that our votes will count,” declared Carolina Rodriguez angrily. “For forty-years we have watched our votes thrown out by the corrupt officials in charge of the vote. Adecos would count one vote and throw out another,” said Rodriguez. “And Copeyanos did the same.”

Now, once again the community of Petare is depending on VTV to transmit their story to the rest of the country to make sure that their votes do not get disqualified.

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=1339

They bear out what we've read in one or more threads here about the general tone of the pro-Chávez supporters being calm and respectful. They really look like good people, I must add.

Thanks.

I want to VOTE!!! :bounce:


Supporters of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez party near the Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas, Venezuela Sunday Aug. 15, 2004. Voting continued as night fell in the recall referendum on the rule of Chavez. (AP Photo/Marcelo Hernandez)


People wait in line to cast their vote in the recall referendum on the rule of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in Caracas, Venezuela Sunday Aug. 15, 2004. (AP Photo/Marcelo Hernandez)


People stand in long lines to get their chance to cast their vote in the referendum recall vote on the rule of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in Caracas, Venezuela Sunday Aug. 15, 2004.(AP Photo/Leo Alvarez)




Venezuelans looks for their names on voter registration lists in Caracas, August 15, 2004. Venezuelan electoral officials extended voting hours for the recall referendum on the rule of left-wing Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to accommodate massive voter turn out. REUTERS/Howard Yanes



Venezuelans line up to vote in the national referendum in Caracas, August 15, 2004. Venezuelans turned out early and in large numbers on Sunday to vote in a historic referendum that will either remove left-wing President Hugo Chavez from office or give him a new mandate to govern for the next two years. REUTERS/Howard Yanes

Totally committed to seeing the right results coming through. These photos are terrific.