Weekly Report - 26 January 2012 (WR-12-04)

President Hugo Chávez claimed this week that it would not be “the end of the world” if he lost power in elections on 7 October, and that he would order his supporters, moderate and radical alike, to accept the result. A lot could still happen between now and then but the opposition Mesa de la Unidad Democrática (MUD) is looking like a more formidable rival day by day. Henrique Capriles Radonski is a strong bet to face Chávez after one of his two main contenders, Leopoldo López, withdrew from the MUD party primaries on 12 February and threw his weight behind Capriles. The MUD pre-candidates also signed up to a common plan of governance. This is carefully pitched – it promises substantial economic reforms, and some political, but reserves praise for the social policies of the Chávez administration and promises to preserve the existing constitution.