Monthly Archives: October 2011

Dropping Like Flies

Posted on October 31, 2011 by

With the opposition’s primary field winnowing out fast, there’s all kinds of activity over on our Oppo Primary Field Guide. We’ve added an “endorsements” section to each candidate, gotten rid of the Wildcards (who by now are obviously not running) … Continue reading →

Posted in Primaries | 49 Comments

The Oppo Field Now

Posted on October 29, 2011 by

So Pablo Pérez’s AD endorsement prompted us to revise our Oppo Field Guide once again. Want the short version? The Opposition Primary is quickly settling into a three-horse race between Henrique Capriles Radonski (HCR), Pablo Pérez (PP) and Leopoldo López … Continue reading →

Posted in Primaries | 13 Comments

Henry hearts Pablo

Posted on October 27, 2011 by

AD has announced its endorsement of Pablo Pérez for President. Henry Ramos Allup made the announcement today. Antonio Ledezma, who has been busy courting AD’s base and all but dived into CAP’s grave, is sure to be disappointed. Both Ledezma … Continue reading →

Posted in Pablo Perez, Primaries, Ramos Allup | Tagged | 68 Comments

Libya today, China tomorrow?

Posted on October 26, 2011 by

El Mundo Economía y Negocios has a nice catch regarding Venezuela’s billion-dollar joint development fund with Libya. Signed just a year ago, partially ratified by the A.N. and published in Gaceta Oficial on December 30th 2010, our bilateral development fund … Continue reading →

Posted in International | 34 Comments

What, another one!???

Posted on October 24, 2011 by

Jesus, another fake pollster?! En serio!? This one has such a generic name – International Consulting Services (!) – that a Google search just throws back all manner of generic little firms, none of which are remotely related to public opinion … Continue reading →

Posted in Polls | Tagged | 21 Comments

Wait until mourning

Posted on October 24, 2011 by

Live fast, die young, and leave a beautiful corpse. So goes the saying. For politicians, a corollary is in order: use the corpse to secure power. The resounding triumph of Cristina Kirchner in Argentina yesterday got me thinking of Venezuela’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Chavez cancer | 24 Comments

Who’s right, Miguel, Juan Cristobal or Giordani?

Posted on October 24, 2011 by
Posted in Corruption, The Economy | 54 Comments

Right, yet wrong

Posted on October 23, 2011 by

Our friend Miguel over at the Defecating Legion’s blog has sort of challenged me to an opinion duel. The argument goes like this: A few weeks ago, opposition front-runner Henrique Capriles said that, if elected, he would not do away … Continue reading →

Posted in The Economy | 53 Comments

“Let me preface this denial by saying something unambiguously false”

Posted on October 23, 2011 by

So, amid the most recent stream of rumors about Chávez’s health, I was glad to see the government asked some actual medical professionals to give us an official account of how the president’s cancer treatment is going. Alas, turns out … Continue reading →

Posted in Chavez cancer | 43 Comments

Why Chávez Will Win

Posted on October 21, 2011 by

So, writing in a Bank of America Merrill Lynch newsletter, Francisco Rodríguez is straightforward about it: All opinion surveys show Chávez’s popularity increasing over the past few months. Although some analysts attribute this to a sympathy effect, our reading is … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged | 86 Comments

Gaddafi passed on Turiamo

Posted on October 20, 2011 by

There are conflicting news reports about the fate of Muammar Gaddafi. Some say he has been injured and captured. Others say he has died. Regardless, he’s toast. [Update: yeah, he's dead.] It’s worth remembering that Gaddafi was offered the very … Continue reading →

Posted in International chavistas | 118 Comments

Aung San Suu López?

Posted on October 19, 2011 by

More and more, it looks like the government’s gambit in disqualifying-but-not-quite-disqualifying Leopoldo López isn’t going to pan out. As you’ll recall, in a genuinely weird decision the other day, the Supreme Tribunal ruled that López is fully entitled to run … Continue reading →

Posted in Leopoldo López, Primaries | 84 Comments

Recipe for polarization

Posted on October 18, 2011 by

1. Make otherwise sensible people talk about the death of Chávez. 2. Use the courts to pick on the opposition’s leaders and slowly take away their rights. 3. Poke Globovisión in the eye. 4. Wash, rinse, repeat. Keep this up, … Continue reading →

Posted in The Media | 37 Comments

- LL = f ‘ ( JVR )

Posted on October 17, 2011 by

In the wake of news about the Supreme Tribunal’s bizarre decision saying Leopoldo López is allowed to run for president, but is not allowed to execute the office of the presidency, I’m going to share a conspiracy theory of mine. … Continue reading →

Posted in Leopoldo López, Primaries | 143 Comments

The chatty doctor

Posted on October 17, 2011 by

I had never heard the name Salvador Navarrete before. A Venezuelan doctor, I now learn. Navarrete was all over the news yesterday. In a wide-ranging interview (in Spanish), Dr. Navarrete was quoted as saying what everyone has been murmuring for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Chavez cancer, Chavez's mental health | 135 Comments