Category Archives: Presidential Election

What happened this weekend

Posted on April 29, 2013 by

Say you’re challenged to a boxing match. As you approach the ring, you notice your opponent is not wearing any boxing gloves. He’s just bare-knuckle. And you’re gloved. The referee can see your opponent isn’t wearing any gloves. The fight … Continue reading →

Posted in Presidential Election | 167 Comments

Workplace bullying as public policy

Posted on April 23, 2013 by

In the last few days, mutiple press reports indicate that some public sector workers have been fired and others have suffered harassment because of their political stance after the presidential election. Audio clips of several heads of public bodies (like … Continue reading →

Posted in Chavismo, Human Rights, In Other News, Labor Movement, Misiones, Opposition, Presidential Election, Society | 32 Comments

Another day, another questionable report

Posted on April 19, 2013 by

Just when the smear about alleged attacks to CDI-clinics around the country has been proven false by multiple sources (including independent human rights NGO Provea), State media made public a brand new case. Health Minister Maria Eugenia Sader has accused … Continue reading →

Posted in In Other News, Presidential Election, The Media | 41 Comments

BREAKING: CNE expands electoral audit, Capriles accepts it

Posted on April 18, 2013 by

After nine hours of discussion, the Electoral Board announced in cadena nacional that it will allow an expansion of the electoral audit (originally restricted to the 54% of electoral tables, it will now cover the other 46%). The entire audit … Continue reading →

Posted in CNE, Henrique Capriles, Nicolas Maduro, Presidential Election | 90 Comments

The election takes center stage at UNASUR (Updated)

Posted on April 18, 2013 by

The Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) will discuss tonight the current situation in Venezuela in an extraordinary presidential summit. The meeting will be held in Lima, as Perú now holds the provisional presidency of the group. According to a report … Continue reading →

Posted in Henrique Capriles, International, Nicolas Maduro, Presidential Election | 60 Comments

Old and New Media Team Up to Lay Bare Maduro’s CDI-Attack Lie

Posted on April 17, 2013 by

Venezuelan State Media reported yesterday that there were several violent attacks on Barrio Adentro outpatients clinics (known as CDI or Integral Diagnostic Centers) by opposition suporters on Monday night. Those reports were later repeated by Nicolás Maduro himself and Information … Continue reading →

Posted in In Other News, Nicolas Maduro, Presidential Election, Violence | 46 Comments

Conjugating Fraud in the Conditional Tense

Posted on April 16, 2013 by

It’s an emotional time. People are disoriented, hurt, and angry. Cooler heads generally don’t  prevail at times like these. Still, this post is an exercise in encephalic cryogenics. Yes, Juan makes a powerful emotional case. But this much I know: … Continue reading →

Posted in Henrique Capriles, Presidential Election | 186 Comments

The Recount as Red Herring

Posted on April 16, 2013 by

Listen, I understand how “count every vote” is an appealing slogan: bumperstickable and easy to understand and hard to resist. It’s also a red herring: the evidence of fraud, if fraud happened, isn’t some exotic species out there that you … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Presidential Election | 116 Comments

Protests around the country

Posted on April 15, 2013 by

Protests throughout the day in different parts of the country. Some of them are still unfolding. Barinas: After the finding of two ballot boxes in the Troncal 5 road, there were clashes between protesters and the military. Barquisimeto: The National … Continue reading →

Posted in Presidential Election | 99 Comments

Alea jacta est…amos como estamos

Posted on April 14, 2013 by

An absolute chill ran down my spine 12 minutes ago when this  came  through Henrique Capriles’s twitter account: “Alertamos al país y al mundo la intención de querer cambiar la voluntad expresada por el Pueblo!Hacer RT a este mensaje…” “We … Continue reading →

Posted in Henrique Capriles, Politics, Presidential Election | 40 Comments

Four hours then, 20 minutes now

Posted on April 14, 2013 by

Last October, it took me four hours to cast my vote. This time, it went much quicker. At 11 a.m., my voting center wasn’t packed, but people were going in and out. What could be the reason behind it? Well, … Continue reading →

Posted in CNE, Politics, Presidential Election | 40 Comments

The Mobilization Gap and Middle Class Blinders

Posted on April 13, 2013 by

One final thought on the ill-humored comments thread that followed my (to be sure, wilfully provocative) last post: while it turns out it’s very easy to get a rise out of opposition supporters by suggesting that there are better uses for … Continue reading →

Posted in Presidential Election | 30 Comments

Where does $150 translate into more votes? In New Orleans? Or in Guasdualito?

Posted on April 13, 2013 by

Be forewarned, gentle reader: I come to bury the Mayamero voter in New Orleans, not to praise him. By now, you’ve probably heard the story: in one of its upteen zillion dirty tricks, the National Electoral Council shut down voting at Venezuela’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Presidential Election | 217 Comments

Ad War Update: wrapping things up

Posted on April 12, 2013 by

The briefest campaign in Venezuelan history has come to an end, and here are some of the last minute ads launched by the contenders. We begin with an ad for another presidential candidate that isn’t Capriles, Maduro or even Pastor … Continue reading →

Posted in Henrique Capriles, Nicolas Maduro, Politics, Presidential Election, The Media | 2 Comments

Maduro’s Advantage is Still Underanalyzed

Posted on April 10, 2013 by

Just about a month ago, I posted this round-up of the race as I then saw it. As I sit down, from far away, to try to re-evaluate where we are, I find that I can’t really do better than to … Continue reading →

Posted in Nicolas Maduro, Presidential Election | 76 Comments