"There will be no more hate in Venezuela after 8 October"

Venezuelan opposition leader and presidential candidate Henrique Capriles Radonski ended his campaign in Caracas on Sunday giving a 45-minute speech to an audience that surpassed by far the capacity of Caracas' major venue. 

During his speech, the opposition leader made far-reaching critiques of President Hugo Chávez, who is seeking his reelection. Capriles highlighted that Chávez won the presidential election promising that things would change in Venezuela, yet "he let people down."

The opposition candidate received a rousing ovation when he pledged he would allow the return of private TV channel RCTV, which closed in 2007 when the Government revoked its broadcasting license.   

End of violence

After saying the rally had gathered the largest concentration of people ever held in Caracas, the presidential candidate lamented the murder of three young opposition activists, who died on September 29 because of political intolerance.

"On October 8, we will build peace in Venezuela. People will not be defeated. Violent people will be beaten," said Capriles, and asserted that under his leadership "there will be no room for divisions, ruptures or resentment (...) Hate will be buried in Venezuela as from October 8," Capriles pledged.  

People are priority

"The message is very clear. The Government's candidate said housing is not important; nor are important electricity, roads in bad conditions or unemployment (...) Revolution is what really matters. I must warn the Government's candidate: "It is the Venezuelan people what really matters here," adding that he looked forward to building "A country with the help of everyone (...) I do not intend to become a messiah."  

During the rally, Capriles underscored that the current "Government has given away some USD 60.2 billion (to other countries). Meanwhile, "Some hospitals do not even have gauze."

The opposition candidate called upon voters to think carefully about what is at stake in October 7 presidential election. "One of the options has been leading for 14 years. It has worn out to its full extent. The other option reaffirms there is a solution to all your problems (...) this is not about one ideology or another. Do you know what the ideology is? It is progress; it is to end poverty; it is to have a job and end violence; it is to invest money right here."

Translated by Jhean Cabrera