CARACAS, Dec 8: Venezuelans vote in municipal elections today that are the biggest political test yet for President Nicolas Maduro as he tries to halt an economic slide and preserve the radical socialist legacy of his late mentor Hugo Chavez.
The outcome of the ballots to choose 337 mayors and 2,523 councillors will be seen as a sign of Maduro’s strength, nine months after Chavez died from cancer and he narrowly beat opposition leader Henrique Capriles to win the presidency.
The opposition portrays Maduro as a buffoonish autocrat with none of his predecessor’s political savvy, and says his economic policies have been a disaster for the OPEC nation.
Maduro, a burly 51-year-old former bus driver, says his ‘treasonous’ rivals are colluding with US financiers to try to drive him from power, but that ‘Chavismo’ is stronger than ever.
‘They have allowed themselves to be influenced by foreign forces … They’ve made a mistake and I think they are going to pay dearly,’ he said ahead of the vote.
The opposition says the allegations of foreign meddling are a smokescreen to distract voters from a dire economy: slowing growth, annual inflation of 54 per cent, and dollars on the black market fetching ten times the official exchange rate.
Maduro says opposition-linked businessmen are behind an ‘economic war’ that he blames for embarrassing shortages of basic goods ranging from milk to toilet paper and car parts.
In moves that echo Chavez’s many clashes with the private sector, Maduro has ordered companies to slash prices – delighting millions of consumers – and even sent troops to occupy a large electronics retailer he accused of price-gouging.
One music video on state TV sings his praises in a play on the name Saint Nicholas, the model for Santa Claus: ‘People of peace, lower your prices! Nicolas has arrived!’
The president has declared today a day of ‘loyalty and love’ for Chavez. It also coincides with the last of three days of mourning in Venezuela for South Africa’s Nelson Mandela.
Capriles scoffed at Maduro’s comparison of the deceased.
‘Mandela was an example of love, peace and unity, the exact opposite of those who govern our country!’ the opposition leader said on Twitter. ‘Vote for a better Venezuela with leaders who work to improve everyone’s quality of life.'(AGENCIES)
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