Hugo Chávez stages last major rally before Venezuela election (Rightwing Telegraph source)

[Judi Lynn]

Hugo Chávez stages last major rally before Venezuela election

Hundreds of thousands of red-clad supporters were due to descend on Caracas last night, in a mass rally supporting Hugo Chávez ahead of the toughest election of his 14-year rule.

By Girish Gupta, Caracas
7:30PM BST 04 Oct 2012

The former soldier, who staged a remarkable recovery from cancer this year, and wants a new six-year term to consolidated his Bolivarian revolution, is in a fight.

His opponent is 40-year-old Henrique Capriles Radonski, an energetic state governor who offers the opposition, for the first time in Mr Chávez's long tenure, hope of overcoming the man who for two decades has been South America's rabble-rouser-in-chief.

Although polls in Venezuela are notoriously unreliable, one of the more respected firms, Datanálisis, puts Mr Chávez 10 points ahead, while another, has them neck and neck.

The 58-year-old has led Venezuela for 13 years, under a banner of 21st Century socialism, with help from his mentor Fidel Castro across the water in Cuba.

More:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/venezuela/9587034/Hugo-Chvez-stages-last-major-rally-before-Venezuela-election.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. Chavez calls for pre-dawn turnout at Venezuela vote

Chavez calls for pre-dawn turnout at Venezuela vote
By Mario Naranjo and Daniel Wallis | Reuters – Tue, Oct 2, 2012.

YARITAGUA/CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez urged his supporters to vote early at Sunday's election, saying the key to him winning another six-year term as leader of South America's biggest oil exporter was organization and logistics.

Chavez, 58, is in a close race with 40-year-old state governor Henrique Capriles, and both camps are now focused on their final rallies and getting their supporters to the polls.

The socialist president, a former army officer, called on his followers to rouse their neighbors with trumpets and bugles in a military-style, pre-dawn wake-up call that has been used in previous elections.

"It should be at 3 a.m. Get some nice coffee, some good chocolate, an early breakfast. We have to work very hard in the logistics, the deployment. Water, food for the troops, transport to the polls, to the voting centers," Chavez told thousands of red-shirted "Chavistas" in the central city of Yaritagua.

More:
http://news.yahoo.com/chavez-calls-pre-dawn-turnout-venezuela-vote-005404026.html

[joshcryer]

2. I saw it live. It was pouring down rain and Chavez came out and sang.

It was quite beautiful as his supporters sang along with him. He has quite a good singing voice.

Later, in Lara, one of Capriles' supporters tried that same thing, singing the campaign theme song of "Hey Un Camino" and it seemed a lot of people didn't even know the song, it was an embarrassing attempt to copy Chavez.

Anyway, Chavez had a really good crowd but I've seen video where it didn't even fill all of Bolivar Ave. But I'm not going to crap on him, he did an impressive effort for someone whose health isn't perfect.

[naaman fletcher]

3. " one of the more respected firms, Datanálisis, puts Mr Chávez 10 points ahead, " lol.

DU'ers have known about Datanalisis for years and years and years.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=405&topic_id=40712&mesg_id=40988

[joshcryer]

4. That is quite funny.

This shit is going to be fucking epic. Epic.

[naaman fletcher]

5. I wish I had your faith. nt