Smoke signals! No smoke without fire as Venezuela's Chavez fights domestic political blazes

VHeadline editor & publisher Roy S. Carson writes: Smoke signals emanating from within the close-knit circle that surrounds President Hugo Chavez Frias would appear to indicate that the President is finally waking up to the fact that one of his greatest problems today is dealing with a host of 'false revolutionaries' who've infiltrated his United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) and are working diligently to undo his best-laid plans for Venezuela's economic and political future.

In fact the 'false revolutionary' phenomenon may be plumbing deeper depths that Hugo Chavez wants to contemplate even in his darkest moments...

Chavez has just turned the 'chill' on Guarico State Governor Eduardo Manuitt who kicked up a fuss after Chavez 'parachuted in' former Communications & Information (MinCI) Minister Willian Lara to replace him in June 1 primaries for PSUV candidates ahead of November 23 regional and local elections.

While the air grows thick with epithets exchanged in the media, Manuitt says the selection of Lara as gubernatorial candidate lacks consensus "and, evidently, Willian Lara does not represent this.”

Part of the political machinations is the fact that Lara got 43.01% of the PSUV primary vote, against Manuitt's daughter Lenny (40.01%) with only 2,484 votes between them and calls for a recount rejected out of hand. Besides this, Manuitt himself is under police investigation charged with assaulting on a Mayor after he was denied observers at the polling stations. There are also claims that he (Manuitt) had given away household appliances in an effort to influence the vote and that he had otherwise carried out a smear campaign on other candidates.”, including the distribution of free household appliances, in an effort to influence the vote.

So ... nothing new in Venezuelan politics, it would appear ... other than that Manuitt's rout is causing controversy for Lara's candidacy and, according to Chavez, Manuitt has 'self-excluded' himself from the ranks of the PSUV, thereby creating additional 'assets' for an opposition waiting in the wings for what appears to be an inevitable disintegration of Chavez' ambitions to unite a seemingly 'un-unite-able' rainbow of leftist parties ranging from liberal through extreme left of left.

Elsewhere grassroots PSUV activists allege intimidation and vote-buying used in a campaign to elect Estela Mariña Montilla, the wife of current Falcon State Governor Willam Montilla who supported the coup against Chavez in 2002 which saw Pedro Carmona Estanga grab power as 'Dictator for a Day' before Chavez was released and returned to power by the overwhelming will of the people.

However, backing Willian Lara to the hilt as PSUV candidate for Governor of Guarico, Chavez insists that Manuitt is no longer an 'approved revolutionary' and labels him as being "tremendously irresponsible ... NOT what we need as the governor of Guarico ... we do not lose anything to be rid of Manuitt the false revolutionary ... what we want are true revolutionaries."

Roy S. Carson
vheadline@gmail.com

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Venezuela is facing the most difficult period of its history with honest reporters crippled by sectarianism on top of rampant corruption within the administration and beyond, aided and abetted by criminal forces in the US and Spanish governments which cannot accept the sovereignty of the Venezuelan people to decide over their own future.

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