Capriles to appoint active general as Defense Minister

Opposition presidential candidate Henrique Capriles Radonski said on Monday that he had thought already about the names of his Vice-President and his Defense Minister in the event of winning the election next October 7.

However, "I have not decided to make known the vice-president's name before October 7," he clarified. In any case, he said that he would not give the name of his designated Defense Minister. "He is an active general in the national armed forces. I will give his name after the ballots."

The candidate for the opposition Unified Democratic Panel (MUD) made these remarks during a press conference on Monday with foreign correspondents.

"The government lost the streets," he maintained earlier. He stressed that President Hugo Chávez, who seeks re-election, "speaks shorter now. Why? As soon as 15 minutes later, the streets would be emptied. I have spoken with many public servants who contact me. Now they are taken out from their badges for them to attend the marches and given them back at the end of the event."

Capriles Radonski reported that Brazil is among the first foreign countries he plans to visit as a president-elect. "I would like to bring the Brazilian experience to Venezuela. Brazil has been successful and, with all our available resources, we can attain all the goals achieved by Brazil."

Translated by Conchita Delgado