MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Venezuela opposition candidates “tapped and intimidated”

With only a week left for regional elections in Venezuela, which could be decisive for President Hugo Chavez Socialism XXI project, leaders of the opposition claim they are constantly intimidated and watched by government that fears loosing several important states and cities.

"They tape and video us, they follow and intimidate, they violate privacy, constitutional rights. They use shameful undemocratic tools to obtain information, but that is their problem. I feel OK", said Manuel Rosales, the popular governor of the state of Zulia and the most outstanding of Chavez' political adversaries. "In a hotel, in a restaurant, many times opposition members are talking and they don't know that the waiter, butler or whoever is serving is listening. And when they drive off in a car they don't know that the chauffer most probably is one of us", boasted President Chavez during a recent political rally. And although in most countries intelligence services and gathering is a state secret, in Venezuela all this information is but another resource for the coming "electoral battle", crucial for Mr. Chavez who almost two years ago saw his constitution reform project (and indefinite re-election) founder rejected by the Venezuelan electorate. For several weeks now, government media inserts its propaganda program with conversation fragments from relevant opposition leaders who had or have their phones bugged, and in which allegedly they seem to be involved in acts of corruption or murky political negotiations. In one of those recordings, apparently, governor Rosales is overheard talking about the purchase of expensive, fancy watches as gifts for media owners and editors. Even when in most cases the airing of tapings are incomplete, President Chavez has promised that following the election he will have Rosales sent to jail for "mafia" style politics and corruption. However for local political analysts the threats are part of the intimidating campaign by the Chavez regime to discredit his main adversaries and motivate his own followers. Some of the most visible opponents of the government argue that Chavez is implanting Soviet style police control practices but others consider "phone tapping" an electoral tactic more than an imminent risk for political activities. "This is not a police state Cuban style, they are far too corrupt, but obviously there's a political police", said Teodoro Petkoff a former guerrilla leader and current editor of a popular opposition magazine. Petkoff's recordings were also aired on the state run television system. More over one of the opposition candidates, and with chances, for mayor of Valencia (Venezuela's third most important city), Abdala Makled, was arrested Saturday night following the alleged bust of 400 kilos of cocaine in one of his brothers properties, according to a report from the Ministry of Interior. "In the operation nine other people were arrested. Makled is under custody of the prosecution. Anybody involved in mafia or narcotics groups will be submitted to criminal justice", said the Interior Minister. Venezuelans next Sunday will elect the governors of the country's 22 states, 20 of them taken over by President Chavez candidates four years ago, plus 328 mayors and 233 city councillors. However since on December 2006 the Venezuelan electorate rejected Chavez reformed constitution, spurred by Governor Rosales, on this occasion he must prove he continues to have virtually undisputed political control over the country, if he is to insist with his Socialist XXI project.