Reuters: World News: Capriles rallies Venezuelans to challenge Chavez

Reuters: World News Reuters.com is your source for breaking news, business, financial and investing news, including personal finance and stocks. Reuters is the leading global provider of news, financial information and technology solutions to the world's media, financial institutions, businesses and individuals. // via fulltextrssfeed.com

Capriles rallies Venezuelans to challenge Chavez Jun 10th 2012, 18:07 Opposition candidate Henrique Capriles (R) greets a supporter on his way to register his presidential bid to the electoral authorities in Caracas June 10, 2012. Credit: Reuters/Carlos Garcia Rawlins By Eyanir Chinea CARACAS | Sun Jun 10, 2012 2:07pm EDT CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan opposition candidate Henrique Capriles on Sunday led tens of thousands of supporters in a march through Caracas, the first major rally of his campaign to unseat cancer-stricken socialist Hugo Chavez in the October president vote. The event marks a shift toward high-profile events to galvanize supporters after a months-long house-to-house tour of the OPEC nation in which he sought to win over new sympathizers. The athletic 39-year-old hopes to capitalize on discontent with Chavez's state-driven socialism by promising a Brazil-style balance between free enterprise and social programs and an end to the sectarian polarization of Chavez's 13-year rule. Capriles will officially register his candidacy with electoral authorities after walking 10 km (6.2 miles) through much of the city, burnishing his image of physical fitness in contrast to the convalescing Chavez. "I aspire to become the president of all Venezuelans, I have a commitment to Venezuelans. I won't let them down," Capriles told reporters amid a mob of supporters. "I'm happy that I'll be walking these 10 kilometers of joy, hope, life, and faith." Waving the flag of the opposition coalition and chanting slogans, marchers swarmed the main avenues of Caracas alongside trucks blasting Capriles' campaign pop jingle. They braved an early drizzle that gave way to clear skies. "God brought us the sun," Capriles said. Some women sported T-shirts with the slogan "Future First Lady," a nod to the good looks of the bachelor candidate, who has received many online marriage proposals during his campaign. CHAVEZ LOOMS LARGE The registration is largely a formality, since opposition sympathizers already chose Capriles as their candidate in opposition primaries in February. He faces a formidable electoral battle against Chavez, whose inimitable mix of folksy charisma and torrential public spending have maintained his popularity even though his cancer has lowered his profile. The president and his allies have since last year been handing out apartments, pensions and stipends to poor mothers in a wave of election-driven state largesse. Most polls show Capriles trailing Chavez by double digits, but Venezuelan public opinion is often volatile and many voters have yet to make up their minds. "Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the Soviet Union failed, Cuba failed, and now Venezuela is swimming upstream trying to build socialism," said Rafael Villavicencio, a lawyer, who turned out for the march. "There is joy and fervor around Henrique Capriles' candidacy." CHAVEZ HEALTH Capriles' victory will rest on winning over wavering Chavez supporters who have grown tired of a murder rate that rivals some war zones, sputtering public services such as electricity and periodic shortages of staple goods. Capriles and allies over the years have gained ground in areas once solidly behind Chavez by promising to put competent administration ahead of ideological crusades like Chavez's vow to battle U.S. imperialism or global capitalism. "I want a change for my country. We've been through years of bad government administration," said Inelda Perez, a teacher who lives in the state of Miranda where Capriles was governor until stepping aside to pursue his candidacy. "He has built schools, he has improved governance, and where I come from he built a clinic that is really impressive." His vow to halt constant nationalizations and respect free enterprise have struck a chord among many historically pro-Chavez areas including some rural parts of the country. Chavez will register his own candidacy in a highly promoted ceremony on Monday, which is shaping up to be his biggest rally since he was diagnosed with cancer in 2011. The government has offered few details about his actual condition since his diagnosis, and a relapse this year after declaring himself "cancer free" spurred rumors that he may be confined to a wheel-chair or at death's door. Chavez on Saturday said medical exams showed he was in good health. But Venezuelans believe a sudden turn for the worse in Chavez's health would upend both his campaign and the governance of a country so heavily dominated by his leadership. (Writing by Brian Ellsworth; Editing by Sandra Maler) Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions