Chavez foe leads massive march in Venezuela

Posted on Sunday, 06.10.12

Chavez foe leads massive march in Venezuela
By FABIOLA SANCHEZ
Associated Press

CARACAS, Venezuela -- Opposition leader Henrique Capriles marched
through Venezuela's capital Sunday accompanied by hundreds of thousands
of supporters as he formally launched his candidacy to run against
President Hugo Chavez.

Surrounded by supporters waving red, yellow and blue Venezuelans flags,
Capriles marched and jogged from a park in eastern Caracas toward the
headquarters of the National Elections Council, 6 miles (10 kilometers)
away, where he formally registered.

"I want to be everybody's president, not the president of a single
group," Capriles told the crowd, repeating his theme that his campaign
is trying to bridge the country's deep political divisions, in contrast
to Chavez's often-inflammatory attacks on rivals.

"I am not anybody's enemy," Capriles said. "I'm the enemy of problems."

Capriles has vowed to create jobs, fight crime and root out corruption,
though most polls say he is trailing Chavez ahead of the Oct. 7 election.

"We have our hopes pinned on Capriles and we're sure he can lead us
toward progress," said Sergio Mijares, a 58-year-old shopkeeper who
opposes Chavez's plans to transform Venezuela into a socialist state.
"I'm optimistic he can defeat Chavez."

Chavez, a former paratroop commander who is seeking a new six-year term
in office, has sought to dismiss his rival by accusing him of
representing the interests of the wealthy.

Capriles, meanwhile, has said his political approach is similar to that
of former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a leftist labor
leader who promoted pro-business policies while financing expansive
social programs as president that made him popular among the poor.

Capriles stepped down as governor of Miranda state this past week to
focus on the campaign.

Chavez is scheduled to formally register his candidacy Monday, and the
election campaign is heating up amid uncertainty regarding his health.

Chavez, 57, told journalists gathered at the presidential palace
Saturday that he had undergone tests following his cancer treatment and
everything came out well. The exams included imaging tests, which are
used to check for the reappearance of tumors, he said.

The socialist leader returned home from Cuba on May 11 after what he
said was a difficult round of radiation therapy. Over the past year,
Chavez has undergone two surgeries that removed tumors from his pelvic
region. Chavez has not disclosed details about his illness, including
the type of cancer or the precise location of the tumors.

The president's medical treatment has forced him to limit his public
appearances. Chavez says he has not yet begun campaigning. His
challenger, meanwhile, has been traveling across the country to drum up
support for his candidacy.

Andrea Reyes, a 48-year-old housewife, said she would vote for Capriles
because of his reputation as an efficient administrator and out of fear
that Chavez will ruin the economy and drive millions of Venezuelans to
emigrate if he is re-elected.

"If Chavez emerges as the winner in October, he's going to destroy this
country," she said.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/06/10/2842341/chavez-foe-leads-march-of-thousands.html