Venezuela analysts cast doubt on presidential election

[MADem]

1. Has Supreme Court Justice Scalia or Thomas been offering advice down that way?

I wonder what the oddsmakers are taking?

Where there's smoke....

Those worries took shape last month, when local media reported that Chávez ally and the governor of Portuguesa State, Wilmar Castro, said the ruling PSUV party needed to consider an alternative candidate or even suspending the elections all together. The comments were made behind closed doors and Castro and the administration have since denied them.

But it’s obvious the idea has currency in some official circles, said Romero, who’s an adviser to the opposition.

“He couldn’t take back what he said,” she said.

Also fueling the election doubts, Chávez recently staffed the Council of State. Led by Vice President Elias Jaua and comprised of military, government and civilian allies, the government insists the body is merely an executive advisory board. The body was created in the 1999 constitution, but the administration’s decision to activate it now — after Chávez returned to Cuba for the sixth time this year for cancer treatment — has generated suspicions. Chávez critics see it as something akin to a junta that might step in to govern if president failed to make it to the elections.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/05/11/2795400/venezuela-analysts-cast-doubt.html#storylink=cpy#storylink=cpy