Venezuela’s Capriles mocks Chavez election manifesto

CARACAS: Venezuela’s opposition challenger Henrique Capriles sought to deflect attention from a corruption scandal by throwing the accusation back at President Hugo Chavez on Friday in an escalating political brawl ahead of the Oct. 7 vote.
Already in an uphill fight to end Chavez’s 14-year socialist rule of the South American OPEC member, Capriles’ camp suffered a setback on Thursday when government lawmakers released a video of an aide taking cash in dubious circumstances.
Capriles immediately fired the aide, Juan Carlos Caldera, and tried to turn the incident in his favor by saying that he — unlike Chavez — would not tolerate any whiff of misconduct within his team.
“If this government and its candidate took on corruption, they’d have no ministers left,” Capriles told a rally.
Transparency International ranks Venezuela as the second-most corrupt nation in the Americas, after Haiti.
Opposition critics revel in tales of Chavez allies who in a matter of years have moved from slums to plush homes and bought yachts and luxury cars.
Government officials constantly try to link Capriles with the pre-Chavez era during which politicians for decades pocketed oil revenues while poverty deepened.
Chavez in a late-night interview said Capriles moved too quickly to “wash his hands” of the matter.
“Imagine falling into the hands of these people, who turn knives on each other,” Chavez said in the televised interview.
“The first thing you have to do is investigate, not come out condemning him in 10 minutes or a half hour,” Chavez said. “Imagine a president like that!”
At a rally in western Lara state, Capriles mocked Chavez for the lofty contents of his election manifesto. Its goals include deepening socialism, striving for a “new international geopolitical” dynamic, and helping to “save” mankind.
“They want to save the human race ... (but) where do they propose the solution to the problems you are living with every day? They don’t mention them because this government is worn out,” Capriles said, holding a copy of Chavez’s manifesto.
“Where’s the solution to the electricity problem? Where’s the solution to the water problem, the public services?” he asked, referring to power cuts and other day-to-day problems.
Capriles, a 40-year-old state governor who says Brazil’s mix of capitalism and strong social welfare programs is his economic model, seeks to project an image of youth, energy and attention to grassroots problems.
He wants to end Chavez’s nationalization program — and his alliances with anti-US
governments.