MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Leading Chavista calls for deep self-criticism following Sunday’s tight vote for Maduro

Cabello is considered ‘hard-core’ Chavez militant and was one of the possible candidates for the announcement that went to Maduro.

The president of the Venezuelan parliament and vice-president of the ruling Chavista party, Diosdado Cabello underlined the significance of Sunday’s presidential election and Nicolas Maduro’s victory, but also admitted that the results demand a strong ‘self criticism’.

“These results force us to a deep self-criticism; it is contradictory that some sectors of the poor voted for their exploiters”, wrote Cabello in his Twitter.

According to the latest figures from the National Electoral Council, CNE, Maduro was supported by 7.505.338 votes, (50.66%) of ballots which was 234.995 votes more than Capriles’ 7.270.403 (49.07%) and who also does not acknowledge the results until a recount of all votes is done.

“Let us look for our failings even under the stones, but we can’t imperil the motherland or the legacy of our commandant”, said Cabello who was comrade in arms of the recently deceased Hugo Chavez. He was grateful to all those that honoured their commitment to Chavez with their votes but also regretted that “others fell to the seduction and temptations of the perverse right”.

He added in further messages on the Sunday elections that he had anticipated that “the coarse bourgeois would not acknowledge the electoral result” and warned that “their only purpose and target is by any means to get control of the country”.

“Capriles, you slimy, you lost again, the People don’t love you; here there is no silver medal, you will never the president of this noble People”, was another twitted message from Cabello.

He was also very critical of Vicente Díaz, who is linked to the opposition but is a member of the CNE. “You asked an auditing of 100% of ballots which are deposited in an urn following voting day and a slight difference with the electronic vote”.

“You’re totally irresponsible Vicente Diaz, you’re part of the conspiracy against our people. Let’s hope we don’t have outbursts of violence: you would be guilty, said Cabello.

When Chavez was under treatment for cancer and a countdown hanged over him, he would meet with Cabello, Maduro and other hard-core Chavists belonging to his close circle of aides. It was a time also of silent wishing to see who would be chosen to succeed the natural populist leader, until finally it was Maduro, a former trade union leader with a certain charisma and pragmatism, which Cabello lacks.

However Maduro does not have control over the powerful military wing and his showing during the recent presidential campaign was poor to put it mildly, and the result a ‘shocking’ surprise.