Excerpts of column "Runrunes" (Rumors) of July 3

High

CAMPAIGN. A statement made by Public Affairs advisor Edgard Gutiérrez attracted my attention. Reference was made to the timing of this electioneering with a president who, after being 14 years in office, wants additional six years to sort out the country problems, as promised in previous campaigns but failing to do it. A look at the rush to "mount" houses on most public sites, yet the least appropriate for such purpose, proves its substandard performance. As far as Gutiérrez is concerned, this is the first time that Chávez arrives in an election race with the possibility of being defeated. "Since 2007, things are even." He affirms in his analysis: "when the president adopts a more radical position, what he has been doing over the past couple of months, vote intention on his behalf tends to shrink. It is different when he moves to the middle, trying to capture the votes of those who still doubt about his intentions. Unprecedented in this election is that for one year there has been an equal footing among the political forces." A clue to undecided voters or interviewees who do not take a stance: "The audience in the middle, the undecided, will hardly move for the sake of (Venezuelan independence hero Simón) Bolívar, not mean to offend, but they will look for someone capable of solving their problems, as reason and emotion are mixed up in this campaign." Edgard feels that one of Chávez's aims is clearing the issue of his health and he has made it so far. In this regard, it should be said that the commander is receiving, again, a high dose of steroids against the recommendation of Brazilian, Venezuelan, Spanish and even a couple of Cuban doctors. He did confess last June 26, that he needed no further treatment to combat his cancer. Some weeks ago, we stated here that neither chemotherapy nor radiotherapy would be applied as they were no more effective. Breaks are managed between rallies and public appearances for him not to be exhausted. For this reason, the ceremony of military promotions was rescheduled between the beginning of the campaign and the events of July 5. The concern bears an additional ingredient, which is the candidate's verbal diarrhea back to bygone days and repetition ad nauseam of phrases heard all these 14 years. Again, both he and his United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) keep their troubles for themselves. Incidentally, inside the PSUV, speaking of succession, replacement or even longing for going up the red, very red stairs is prohibited.

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@nelsonbocaranda

Translated by Conchita Delgado