---------- From: Venezuela News & Action <newsandaction at veninfo.org> Reply-To: Venezuela News & Action <reply.13586.12415456.1618827031574122857-lfeather_panix.com at en.groundspring .org> Date: Thu, 4 Nov 2004 13:30:22 -0800 (PST) To: <lfeather at panix.com> Subject: VZ Election Results, Activist Tool Kit
Dear Friends,
With most of the votes counted in Venezuela's regional elections last weekend, pro-Chavez candidates have won an astounding victory.
CHAVEZ ALLIES SWEEP REGIONAL ELECTIONS Chavez supporters won governorships in at least 18 of 22 states, while two races undergo a recount. Additionally, mayoral candidates allied with the administration led in more than 80% of the races, as 270 of the 335 municipalities went to pro-Chavez candidates.
The sweep builds on the momentum created by President Chavez's victory in the August 15th referendum, where the strength of the administration's social missions led to a decisive 18-point victory. The regional election results will allow the country's popular education, health and land reform programs to expand in the year ahead.
Opposition candidates won decisive victories in only two states, Zulia and Nueva Esparta, while two others are still in contention. Preliminary results in the state of Yaracuy show the Chavista candidate winning with a tight one-percent margin, although a recount is pending.
There is more contention in the state of Carabobo where opposition incumbent Henrique Salas Feo also appears to have lost his re-election bid, but the governor has refused to accept the results. Salas made a public victory speech yesterday, although the recount is still being conducted.
More than 100 international observers from throughout Latin America have declared the results free and fair.
The margins of victory in most local and regional elections parallel the popularity of President Chavez from this year's referendum and past national elections. As Venezuela's Central University Political Science Professor German Campos described it, "Actually we have had practically the same election in Venezuela since 1998, with different questions. The people's reactions to the elections have been the same."
For More information: http://www.veninfo.org/news/11-01-04ap.html
NEW! ACTIVIST TOOLKIT For all readers interested in making Venezuelan advocacy a part of your activist efforts, the VIO has created a new web-based Activist Toolkit equipped with useful resources to help you promote the social programs and accomplishments in Venezuela. Now you can download informative leaflets and organizing tips to help you best get the message out to the public. The Activist Toolkit gives you the resources you need to:
* Promote balanced media coverage; * Reach out to political officials; and * Organize Venezuela-themed house parties and movie showings.
Check out the Activist Toolkit at: http://www.veninfo.org/take/take.html
URUGUAY SWINGS LEFT This weekend Uruguay became the latest Latin American country to elect a socially progressive president. With an enormous 16-point lead over the second place candidate, oncologist Tabare Vasquez easily won election after focusing his campaign on the needs of the country's poor. Vasquez will become the first left-leaning president in the country's history as Uruguay joins the Latin American political leftward trend pioneered by Venezuela, Brazil and Argentina.
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