Caracas: Hugo Chavez's supporters dedicated their dominant regional election win to the absent Venezuelan president and turned attention back on Monday to his fight to recover from cancer surgery in Cuba.
Helped by sympathy for Chavez, the ruling Socialist Party swept the board in Sunday's vote, winning 20 out of 23 state governorships in the South American OPEC nation.
"That was the people's present for their commander, painting the country red," said the party's national election coordinator Jorge Rodriguez.
That left Capriles, a 40-year-old career politician and lawyer by training, as the opposition's clear candidate-in-waiting should Chavez have to step down and a new election be called.
In early trade on Monday, Venezuela's sovereign debt was off 2 .2 per cent a ccording to JP Morgan's tracker, while the benchmark 2027 bond was down 2.4 per cent.
"We Venezuelans pray for the president's health, but he is in Cuba and Venezuela's problems need answers," Capriles added, criticizing high crime and jobless rates.
In office since 1999, Chavez is due to start a new term on January 10 after beating Capriles at October's presidential vote.
Though past surveys have shown Capriles to be more popular than any other senior officials, Chavez's personal blessing for Maduro could transform the situation by firing up supporters who would view him as a proxy for their leader.
Capriles avoided talk of a new election , but did forecast change after Sunday's victory. "The moment will come, we are close. .. . The change is near, you can feel it in the air."
Chavez has not been seen or heard from since before leaving for Cuba to undergo a six-hour operation last Tuesday, his fourth for a cancer that was initially diagnosed in his pelvic region in mid-2011.
Officials say initial complications have been surpassed, and that Chavez is slowly recovering, able to speak and give orders.
Yet they have given few medical details, so speculation is rife that the surgery may have left him in a grave condition and that the cancer could have spread.
Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who has been battling health problems himself in recent years, has been at his friend and protege's bedside, presumably at Havana's Cimeq hospital.
Sunday's election illustrated the continuing popularity of Chavez, who is adored by many poor Venezuelans for his humble roots and oil-fueled welfare programs, though denounced as a dangerous autocrat by opponents.
Though many Venezuelans complain loudly about a litany of daily problems, from power cuts and potholes to murder rates and kickbacks, the power of Chavez's personality once again appeared to trump those concerns.
"There was a clear surge in sympathy votes," said Siobhan Morden, New York-based Jefferies & Co.'s managing director, adding that Capriles' win by just four percentage points was not an "ideal" platform for a potential challenge against Maduro.
Half of the ruling Socialist Party's winning candidates on Sunday were former military men, in what the opposition calls a dangerous militarization of Venezuela's civil structures.
Chavez's passionate supporters struggle to contemplate a possible end to his rule, but many say they would simply follow his instructions and vote for Maduro - should it come to that.
"Whether he is here or not, the (revolutionary) process is not going to be stopped," said Caracas resident Alfredo Lopez, discussing politics in the capital's historic Bolivar Square.
Helped by sympathy for Chavez, the ruling Socialist Party swept the board in Sunday's vote, winning 20 out of 23 state governorships in the South American OPEC nation.
"That was the people's present for their commander, painting the country red," said the party's national election coordinator Jorge Rodriguez.
That left Capriles, a 40-year-old career politician and lawyer by training, as the opposition's clear candidate-in-waiting should Chavez have to step down and a new election be called.
Advertisement
In early trade on Monday, Venezuela's sovereign debt was off 2 .2 per cent a ccording to JP Morgan's tracker, while the benchmark 2027 bond was down 2.4 per cent.
Advertisement
"We Venezuelans pray for the president's health, but he is in Cuba and Venezuela's problems need answers," Capriles added, criticizing high crime and jobless rates.
Advertisement
In office since 1999, Chavez is due to start a new term on January 10 after beating Capriles at October's presidential vote.
Advertisement
Though past surveys have shown Capriles to be more popular than any other senior officials, Chavez's personal blessing for Maduro could transform the situation by firing up supporters who would view him as a proxy for their leader.
Advertisement
Capriles avoided talk of a new election , but did forecast change after Sunday's victory. "The moment will come, we are close. .. . The change is near, you can feel it in the air."
Chavez has not been seen or heard from since before leaving for Cuba to undergo a six-hour operation last Tuesday, his fourth for a cancer that was initially diagnosed in his pelvic region in mid-2011.
Officials say initial complications have been surpassed, and that Chavez is slowly recovering, able to speak and give orders.
Yet they have given few medical details, so speculation is rife that the surgery may have left him in a grave condition and that the cancer could have spread.
Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who has been battling health problems himself in recent years, has been at his friend and protege's bedside, presumably at Havana's Cimeq hospital.
Sunday's election illustrated the continuing popularity of Chavez, who is adored by many poor Venezuelans for his humble roots and oil-fueled welfare programs, though denounced as a dangerous autocrat by opponents.
Though many Venezuelans complain loudly about a litany of daily problems, from power cuts and potholes to murder rates and kickbacks, the power of Chavez's personality once again appeared to trump those concerns.
"There was a clear surge in sympathy votes," said Siobhan Morden, New York-based Jefferies & Co.'s managing director, adding that Capriles' win by just four percentage points was not an "ideal" platform for a potential challenge against Maduro.
Half of the ruling Socialist Party's winning candidates on Sunday were former military men, in what the opposition calls a dangerous militarization of Venezuela's civil structures.
Chavez's passionate supporters struggle to contemplate a possible end to his rule, but many say they would simply follow his instructions and vote for Maduro - should it come to that.
"Whether he is here or not, the (revolutionary) process is not going to be stopped," said Caracas resident Alfredo Lopez, discussing politics in the capital's historic Bolivar Square.
© Thomson Reuters 2012
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Venezuela Court Says Its Ruling On Presidential Vote Will Be "Final" Venezuela President Blocks Social Media Platform X For 10 Days In Country "There Will Be No Forgiveness": Nicolas Maduro Warns Those Opposing His Win "Mamata Banerjee Misleading Public, Should Resign": Nirbhaya's Mother Indian-Origin Family, On Way To Daughter's College, Killed In US Car Crash Air India Cabin Crew Member Assaulted In Her London Hotel Room "We Are India's No 1...": IAS Coaching Centre Fined For "Misleading" Ad UK Girl Discovers Dinosaur Footprints On Beach Walk: "Cool And Exciting" NASA Astronaut Shares Pic Of Lightning At Night Over India Taken From Space Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.