Chavez’s Pal or US-Backed Rich Kid: Who will Inherit Venezuela?

At the previous election, Capriles demonstrated his resolve to change Venezuelan foreign policy radically, heralding a possible strengthening of ties with the US.

Unlike both Chavez and Maduro, Henrique Capriles Radonski comes from a wealthy family of business owners. He is a free market proponent, not approving of the economy regulations practiced by Chavez.

As in October 2012, two different philosophies are bound to clash: “Chavismo”, promoting social democracy in generic sense of the word and pro-US ideology with neoliberal policies, privatization, and primacy of ties with Washington.

Five months ago Chavez got 54 per cent of the vote against 44 per cent for Capriles. The election in 30 days is going to show whether Chavez’s ideology can survive its mastermind’s death.

All signs point towards an electoral victory for the Chavistas, Dr. Francisco Dominguez, head of the Centre for Brazilian and Latin American Studies at Middlesex University and Secretary of the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign, told RT.

“They won the presidential elections in October, they won the governorship elections on the 16th of December – 20 out of 23 governorships – and on the same day they won 22 out of 23 local legislatures, which is quite impressive,” Dominguez said.
“Chavez has been on the ascendency. If you look at what he won: 3.7 million in 1998, 3.8 million in 2000, 5.8 million in 2004, 7.3 million in 2006, and on the October 7 2012 election 8.2 million. The trend is clear. It doesn’t mean the opposition doesn’t have its strengths, but the Chavistas have much more,” he continued.

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