Capriles elected to oppose Chavez for Venezuela chief
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CARACAS, Venezuela -- Youthful state governor Henrique Capriles won Venezuela's first-ever opposition primary vote by a wide margin on Sunday, emerging as the single candidate who will try to end President Hugo Chavez's 13 years in power.
Mr. Capriles, the 39-year-old governor of Miranda state, faces a tough task in ousting Mr. Chavez, a charismatic campaigner with a loyal following and the full powers of the state to back his candidacy in Oct. 7 elections.
Opposition election chief Teresa Albanes announced the preliminary results, saying that Mr. Capriles won about 62 percent of the vote, beating Zulia state Gov. Pablo Perez by a margin of more than 30 percentage points.
Mr. Chavez's opponents lined up to vote in many areas, surpassing most expectations with a turnout of about 2.9 million ballots cast out of Venezuela's 18 million registered voters.
Mr. Capriles had been the front-runner in pre-election polls among five contenders, presenting a younger, energetic alternative to the 57-year-old Mr. Chavez, who has recently battled cancer.
"He's going to be the candidate who can get us out of this giant hole we're stuck in," said Carmen Gloria Padilla, a 66-year-old telephone company employee who voted for him.
Hundreds of supporters celebrated the win outside Mr. Capriles' campaign headquarters, holding small flags emblazoned with the slogan "There is a way." Fireworks exploded in the sky above the crowd.
Some of Mr. Capriles' supporters said they think he has a good chance of winning over Venezuelans who otherwise might lean pro-Chavez because Mr. Capriles has taken a largely non-confrontational approach while promising solutions to such problems as 26 percent inflation and one of the highest murder rates in Latin America.
Diego Prada, a 23-year-old marketing manager, said he thinks Mr. Capriles' inclusive approach offers a much better shot against Mr. Chavez than other competitors who have taken a hard line against the president.
"People are tired of so much confrontation," Mr. Prada said. As for Mr. Capriles, he said, "he has a message of unity."
The once-divided opposition has gained popularity in recent years, and the race could end up being the toughest re-election bid of Mr. Chavez's career.
First Published February 13, 2012 12:14 am
