Venezuela's opposition vows to bring change to the oil-rich state after

Venezuela's opposition vows to bring change to the oil-rich state after

In Summary
The ruling PSUV party led by Nicolas Maduro, lost control of the
National Assembly for the first time since 1999.
The opposition MUD coalition led by Lilian Tintori won at least 99 of
the 167 seats in the assembly, the state electoral authority said, with
46 for the PSUV.
The boiling tension of the past weeks of campaigning subsided into
caution as Tintori and senior MUD leader Jesus Torrealba vowed their
side did not want "revenge" or violence.
By AFP

CARACAS, Tuesday

Venezuela's jubilant opposition vowed to drag the oil-rich country out
of its economic crisis and free political prisoners after it broke the
socialist government's 16-year grip on the legislature.

But analysts warned political struggles lie ahead for the centre-right
MUD coalition and its moral figurehead Lilian Tintori, if they want a
break from the socialist "revolution" launched by late president Hugo
Chavez.

The MUD, a broad coalition of dozens of parties, must stay united if it
wants to press its advantage against Nicolas Maduro, the country's
president and champion of "Chavismo."

CONCEDE DEFEAT

Despite his fiery campaign rhetoric, Maduro promptly conceded defeat in
Sunday's legislative election and called for "coexistence" between the
opposition and his PSUV party, which lost control of the National
Assembly for the first time since 1999.

He also called a party congress to consider reforms.

"It will be a debate on how we will move forward with more revolution,"
said the President, whose closest regional ally is Communist Cuba.

"The counter-revolution (opposition) has had this victory in the
National Assembly," Maduro said at the presidential palace after meeting
with leaders of his party.

"The situation is complicated. We have got to close ranks in a
civilian-military alliance," he stressed.

NO REVENGE

The boiling tension of the past weeks of campaigning subsided into
caution as Tintori and senior MUD leader Jesus Torrealba vowed their
side did not want "revenge" or violence.

"We have an immense responsibility," Torrealba said in an interview
broadcast online.

His mostly centre-right coalition won at least 99 of the 167 seats in
the assembly, the state electoral authority said, with 46 for the PSUV.

"What happened yesterday was an electoral tsunami, but a vote of
confidence is one thing and a blank cheque is something else," Torrealba
added.

"It is not the same thing uniting to resist and uniting to govern," he
said, calling on the diverse MUD to "reinvent" itself to "deal with the
crisis."

Tintori, the activist and wife of jailed opposition leader Leopoldo
Lopez, appeared smiling in world newspapers on Monday as she celebrated
with supporters.

"I will not rest until all political prisoners are freed," she said.
"This is a historic day for Venezuela."

International powers who have lobbied for change in Venezuela hailed the
result.

Source: We will bring change, vows Venezuela's opposition - World |
Daily Nation -
http://www.nation.co.ke/news/world/We-will-bring-change-vows-Venezuela-s-opposition/-/1068/2989056/-/naeke7/-/index.html