Capriles conceeding now.

[joshcryer]

He's been crying.

Standing ovation.

Thought the evil fascist opposition was going to claim fraud?

Oh, that was all shit talk, right?

[David__77]

1. Let's not be simplistic.

Not every critic of Capriles would characterize him or all opposition elements as "fascist." That's just as simplistic as what "pro-Chavez" forces you are critiquing.

I think that the existence of Chavez and the Bolivarian current are on the whole positive, yes. Simply declaring that "there IS an alternative" helps combat cynicism and pragmatic dullness. That's not enough, obviously. The "Jefetura" politics of the PSUV had better be superseded soon. Otherwise Chavismo will be just another Peronism.

[joshcryer]

2. Unfortunately, I think that the possiblity for introspection is gone now.

The campaign was highly divisive, I think both sides are at each others throats more than ever. And I don't see the PSUV getting rid of the corrupt elements. If anything I think they will embrace it more because it seems to work well enough for them.

Had Capriles won he would've still had his hands tied behind his back (parliament is still majority controlled by PSUV). However, he's the kind of person, like Obama, who reaches across the isle and who would've ousted corrupt elements from his cabinet. He would've been sort of an anti-corruption symbol.

The more right wing opposition is hoping for an economic downturn to happen to Venezuela so all those "dumb voters" learn their lesson as the country falls into despotism (that's their fantasy, I'm not predicting that will happen). I find this highly cynical and even evil because it means the suffering for a lot of people.

The way Capriles handled his defeat was pure class.

It was his first electoral loss.

[Peace Patriot]

3. They've got a history of doing just that. It was a legitimate fear...

...especially with all that crapola about a faulty ballot.

Also, you yourself immediately associated all Chavez supporters with killers, after that incident where 2 apparent Capriles campaigners were shot and killed. You said it was "typical of chavistas" and you said this before anything was known about the incident. In a country that you have described as lawless, the police immediately arrested a suspect in this case. However, they have not yet determined a motive. EVEN IF it turns out that some Chavez supporter went whacko and shot these two people--no evidence for it yet, but say it's true--that is still no reason whatever to say that his action is "typical" of Chavez supporters. That is absurdity and extremism.

Worrying about yet another rightwing plot using false poll numbers to cause civil disruption, or crying election fraud again to throw dust in peoples eyes, as to why they lost or that they lost, is neither absurd nor extreme. And, in view of the 2002 coup attempt and other rightwing efforts to destroy Venezuela's democracy, these are not unreasonable concerns.

You've said that the rightwing opposition has changed and doesn't do coups any more, and you've even said that it isn't rightwing any more--it's leftist. But I'm afraid that some of your statements have that extremist edge of unreality that we've often seen in Venezuela's rightwing opposition. They've cried fraud frequently, for instance, in an election system that Jimmy Carter the other day described as "the best in the world," and that has been closely monitored and certified as honest and transparent by numerous international election groups, and that is also honest and transparent on the face of the election system facts (which I have researched). The frequent use of this opposition ploy is absurdly unreal. And back during the 2002 coup, they suspended the Constitution, the courts, the National Assembly and all civil rights, with the Corporate 'News' Media cheering them on, and lying for them. Then the rightwingers and the Corporate Media starting crying about "free speech"! Ga-a-a-a-awd!

So don't you dare jeer at worries about Venezuela's opposition when Venezuelan elections occur. Some of the opposition may have learned to respect democracy, and some no doubt feel forced to step back in the face of the sturdiness of Venezuela democracy, to try to achieve their ends in an acceptable way. The latter group is a dangerous group, and it is going to be decades or more before the threat of that kind of opposition--anti-democratic opposition--is really over.

[joshcryer]

4. They did not cry fraud. Capriles conceeded.

Are you insane? Seriously?

Do you have evidence of their "frequent" cries of "fraud"? No? Then whatever to your pointless screed!

The majority of the opposition has respected the outcome, and Capriles himself has respected the outcome, so the lies that "the opposition" would call fraud are totally, 100%, bullshit, lies, misrepresentation, propaganda.

You assign anti-democracy to the opposition but they RESPECTED THE VOTE so that comment is simply a lie.

[Judi Lynn]

5. How easy it is to remember these opposition clowns have circulated the election fraud claims.

Those scumballs have done this for years. We've discussed them when any of us saw articles on it.

I think they did this as far back as the time these Einsteins decided to NOT RUN A CANDIDATE and claim there wasn't any point because the vote was rigged. Two times back, not long after their filthy coup. They KNEW the people of Venezuela didn't want a damned thing to do with their candidate, no matter who he would be, and they were going to lose BIG TIME.

So they came up with this brainstorm. THEN they started claiming Hugo Chavez had stuffed the legislature with his people. still refusing to admit people couldn't stand them because they had stolen their President at gunpoint and tried to take over the government.

Dirtbags, drooling idiots, worthless slime.

That anyone should dream he could set DU'ers straight so they would forget what they KNOW is remarkable.

[bemildred]

6. Well, hopefully the noise level will go down a bit now. nt

[Bacchus4.0]

7. pretty much as expected

looks like they voted for more of the same.

[Flatulo]

8. I think this process shows that there is an opposition, which is a very good thing.

Even in the States, the existence of conservatism serves to provide a healthy tension to counter rampant leftism, and vice-versa. This keeps the system stable so that it doesn't careen out of control in one direction or the other.

Once a loyal opposition is banned or otherwise marginalized, it's just a few short hops to despotism.

I wish the people of Venezuela the best of luck and every success. I hope they can contribute more than just petroleum resources to global civilization. I'd love to see them producing tens of thousands of scientists and engineers to contribute to progress. With their vast oil wealth, there's no reason they can't be a world power.