VENEZUELA/USA: Venezuelan candidates and voters prepare ahead of Sunday's (December 3) election

The noisy, colourful and entertaining campaigns for the upcoming Venezuelan Presidential elections officially drew to a national close on Thursday night (November 30) in accordance with electoral rules. Now it is time for the electoral authorities and Venezuelans to add the final touches to their preparations for the big day, Sunday (December 3). The throngs of people that have been out on the streets in support of their candidate went about their daily business on pre-election Friday (December 1). However the posters, banners and billboards, which are stealing the limelight from the Christmas decorations these days are a reminder of what awaits for the country in less than 48 hours. Election workers checked and double-checked voting stations on Friday, making sure the machines ran smoothly at the polling stations. With the voting machines and election paperwork already delivered to polling stations, this is now the time for the army and the Venezuelan electoral authority (CNE) to make sure everything is present and correct and to carry out the final checks on the machines. The president of a polling station in Caracas, Vilma Barreto, explained the review process. "Lots of people came, witnesses, principal members, temporary members (of the Venezuelan Electoral Authority), and people can see that they want to work. It has flowed really quickly," she said, in praise of those checking the materials in the station under her command. The election campaign has been high profile in Venezuela, but residents of the South American country are no strangers to this. Since the arrival of the current President, Hugo Chavez in 1998, politics has taken centre stage in Venezuelan life. While Chavez has toured the country campaigning in a final drive, the opposition has united behind their candidate, Manuel Rosales. Chavez seeks to continue and to intensify his "Bolivarian Revolution" if he wins reelection. The cornerstones of this plan are social justice and regional integration in order to lessen the influence of the United States in Latin America and the Caribbean. The election of a wave of leftist presidents across the continent has meant that many neighbouring countries are sympathetic to his vision. However, Chavez has been ineffective in winning over all regional leaders. Spats between Mexico and Peru arose earlier in the year when Chavez went on record in support for Mexico's leftist candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Peru's leftist candidate Ollanta Humala. Both lost the presidential election and in an interview on Thursday, Chavez showed no signs of easing relations with winners, Mexican President Felipe Calderon and Peruvian President Alan Garcia. "Calderon and Garcia (referring to Mexican President Felipe Calderon and Peruvian President Alan Garcia) made it impossible before becoming president to have cordial relations with us. There are commercial relations, of course - political and diplomatic, of course - but not the relations for the integration that we (referring to Latin American integration) that we need," he said. Chavez added that he refuses to recognise Calderon as Mexico's President. Rosales, the opposition candidate is fiercely opposed to this foreign diplomacy route and has vowed to take a different approach. He spoke specifically about one of Chavez's recent allies, Iran. "(Talking of the changes he will make if he comes to power) For example, one of the decisions that I want to take is to suspend the contract (Venezuela has) with Iran, because this government is accused of being a terrorist government. And in addition to that, the conditions and what we have found in evaluating this contract is that it damages Venezuela's wealth, so does a part of the contract that we have with Russia. Moreover, according to our studies, we are going to save around three billion dollars (if we pull out of the contract[s])," he stated. For others however, political strategy was taking a backseat to the more pressing demands of how to deal with the political reality of living in a country like Venezuela. Venezuelans were out in force on Friday (December 1) to stock up on food and drink for the coming few days. Supermarket queues by midday were already exasperating shoppers and staff alike. This frenzy is motivated by two factors. The first is that the 48 hour "dry law" comes into effect from midnight on Friday (December 1), so no alcohol will be on sale over the weekend. Others are filling their trolleys in response to their past experiences of what can happen in such a polarised political climate. There is a palpable sense of uncertainty and many are stocking up in case something happens in the aftermath of the elections that leaves them without access to basic supplies. One of the shoppers, Nuncia Noctola explained. "Look, one expects that anything could happen with the elections and we want to be prepared and see what happens. Neither one group or the other are going to keep quiet (if the other group wins)," she said, worried that huge protests could erupt in the capital and beyond. Everyone is hoping that this will not be the case. Indeed the U.S. State Department issued a statement on Friday (December 1) voicing its support for free and fair elections in which the Venezuelan people can decide on their future. "What's important to us in Venezuela, as in other places, is that that electoral process be free, fair and transparent, not only on election day, but during the campaign period. And, certainly, that's what's required to guarantee the rights of all Venezuelans and to ensure that their choice and their opinions can be heard. So we definitely also want to make sure that Venezuelans have that kind of confidence in their electoral institutions and are comfortable to fully participate in the process. I know we've seen a variety of different reports about potential intimidation and voter harassment that have appeared in the media. Certainly, we would oppose any kind of efforts that would infringe on people's democratic rights. But, ultimately, we're going to hear from the Venezuelan people on Sunday and we'll see what they say," said Tom Casey, State Department spokesman. Venezuelans go to the polls on December 3.

ITN Source | December 2, 2006

Tags:. .colourful. .venezuelas. .temporary. .polarised. .neighbouring