(click for details:)One big “Por que no te callas?”: Venezuela Hands Narrow Defeat to Chavez Plan
Please listen to today’s podcast for more information.
My guest was Dr. Luis Fleischman.
Dr Fleischman is an advisor to the Menges Hemispheric Security Project at the Center for Security Policy in Washington DC. He is also an adjunct professor of Political Science and Sociology at Wilkes Honor College at Florida Atlantic University.
6:50PM
While we were doing the podcast the news came that the Chavez government is claiming victory. Reuters reports,
Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan president, is heading for victory in a referendum on allowing him to remain in power as long as he keeps winning elections, two government-linked sources said citing exit polls.
Three exit polls showed Chavez won by between six and eight points in a vote where turnout was low, they told Reuters news agency.
No surprises there.
The question is, what comes next.
Don’t miss Chronicle of a No vote in the Venezuelan referendum
Police raided Venezuela’s main Jewish social club on the eve of a national referendum.
Spanish Pundit posts that
“La falta de neutralidad exhibida por el CNE venezolano es escandalosa” porque “limita el movimiento” de los observadores a través de diferentes acreditaciones, dependiendo de si apoyan o no el éxito del referéndum”. Así lo ha denunciado esta tarde un dirigente del PP español, Carlos Iturgáiz, que está como observador en Caracas.
“The electoral board’s bias is scandalous” because it “limited the movement” of observers across different poll station, depending on whether the observers are in favor of the referendum or not. So has denounced this afternoon Carlos Igurgaiz a leader of the Spanish Popular Party, who is observing in Caracas.
5PM
Voter turnout less than expected for national referendum. Video here
El Universal reports that the voting center at the Miguel Antonio Caro school in Catia has over 200 people still waiting to vote as of 5:33PM Caracas time. One of the voting machines broke down and voters are waiting for printed ballots to arrive. An hour earlier one of the voting machines had been replaced, and even when 600 people are registered at that school only 132 had voted.
3PM
El Universal (in Spanish) has a Minuto-a-Minuto section; the latest (4:26PM Caracas time) says that the observers from the (Chavez-controlled) board of elections have stated that “the electoral process took place normally.”
Caracaas Chronicles: Whaddayamean “neck-and-neck”?!?
Daniel continues to update his posts
Excellent roundup of blogs and news sources at A Colombo-americana’s perspective
Doing the Marxist Slide– Venezuela Votes on Chavista Rule
This Ain’t Hell is watching …with bated breath
My new friends at Western Hemisphere Policy Watch wonder “Venezuela Lurching Towards Civil War?” A Blog For All and Bryan at Hot Air compare Venezuela’s vote to Russia’s. In Redstate, Pejman Yousefzadeh says democracy is under seige. No More Spin outlines the Constitutional reforms that are being voted upon today. Neptunus Lex writes that the referendum disputes Francis Fukuyama’s contention that the end of the Cold War ended history. Michele Malkin has some more poll results.
And the US Left still clings to the “Operation Pliers” farce.
Quick picture report
Polls should be closing soon unless there are people waiting in line outside.
1:10PM
Venezuelans Get To Pretend To Vote Today
It would clearly pain Reuters to describe Mr. Chavez as a psychotic Communist demagogue who is now reaching for total dictatorial power.
Instead, they call him an “anti-Washington firebrand.” They characterize this naked power grab as an attempt at “reforms” to help “the people.”
They even pretend that this “referendum” could go either way, as if the outcome was in any way ever in doubt.
The second law of thermodynamics.
Pre-electoral song and dance reported at CNN
Chavez, 53, warmed the crowd up by serenading them with holiday “gaitas” and other traditional songs before turning his attention to a litany of enemies and perceived enemies: internal critics, the United States, Spain’s King Juan Carlos, Colombia’s President Alvaro Uribe and domestic and international media.
Later in his performance, promised to Censor Any Opposition To His Dictatoral Vote, while searching for a clue.
Venezuela News and Views posts on The election day post: the doomsday vote
PMBComments: On the State of Venezuela’s Democracy posts a 14-item list on What Comes Next? Some “Factoids” in Lieu of Scenarios. YOU MUST READ HIS POST.
Rumsfeld‘s article at the WaPo is now in the dead-tree paper.
12:45
Al-Jazeera’s Mariana Sanchez reporting from Venezuela finds discontent among Chavez’s base:
Hugo’s already making plans for next year and promises to expel Spanish companies out of Venezuela if Spain’s conservative party wins next year’s elections. Of course he’s counting on $100/barrel oil to keep him in power.
The guy from the Beeb covers his butt )emphasis added):
The BBC’s Americas editor, Emilio San Pedro, says the elections are expected to be as free and fair as all previous ones since Mr Chavez came to power in 1998.
The Beeb reports large turnout (video).
Fausta, my sources both in the States and in VE tell me that the Reuters report was only based on what the government said. If we have learned anything through this, we should know not to blindly trust the Chavez government.
I just published the results of the audit at the DC Embassy.
There’s one thing we all must know by now with this thug: if he’s in the losing side, don’t worry. He’ll “fix” that right away!
And people here say that Bush stole the 2000 election! He can’t hold a candle… I take it back: he can’t hold a will o’ the wisp to Hugo Chavez!
I take it back! ¡El NO ganó! ¡Felicidades a los venezolanos!
Article here.
Ganó el No en los dos bloquesss!!! Que viva la libertad, que vivan nuestros hermanos venezolanos!