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2008 Venezuelan regional elections

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2008 Venezuelan regional elections
← 2004 23 November 2008 (2008-11-23) 2012 →
Turnout65.45% Increase
 
Alliance GPPSB MUD
Popular vote 5,758,494 4,623,051
Percentage 52.1% Decrease 41.82% Increase
Results by state.
Red denotes states won by the Great Patriotic Pole. Blue denotes those won by the Coalition for Democratic Unity.
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Regional elections were held in Venezuela on 23 November 2008 to choose 22 governors and 2 metropolitan mayors. The candidates were selected for a term beginning in 2008 and ending in 2012, when the next regional elections will be held. The 2008 regional elections were the second during the government of Hugo Chávez Frías and the first since he founded the United Socialist Party.[1]

The government of the state of Amazonas and nine municipalities were not chosen in this elections because they had been elected after the 2004 regional elections.[2] The Venezuelan opposition managed to attain the metropolitan municipality of Caracas, won by candidate Antonio Ledezma, as well as five state governments; the United Socialist Party, meanwhile, won seventeen.

Henrique Capriles Radonski, the former mayor of the Baruta municipality,[3] became the governor of Miranda, defeating the incumbent, Diosdado Cabello.[4] Adán Chávez, president Hugo Chavéz's brother,[4] became the governor of Barinas. In Carabobo, Henrique Salas Feo, the son of former presidential candidate Henrique Salas Römer, defeated his opponent Mario Silva to become the governor. Pablo Pérez Álvarez became the governor Zulia; he succeeded Manuel Rosales, who had governed from 2000 until 2008 and was a presidential candidate in 2006.[5]

Background

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After losing the 2004 Venezuelan recall referendum, the opposition became determined to participate in the 2008 elections.[6] Prior to the elections, the General Comptroller, a Chávez ally, banned almost 300 candidates who had been accused of corruption without making formal charges.[6] Leopoldo López, a rising figure within the opposition who raised fears among the Chávez administration, was one of the hundreds of candidates barred from holding office.[6] The Supreme Tribunal later ratified the bans and removed the candidates from the process.[7][8][9]

In early January 2008, some opposition political parties expressed their willingness to sign a unitary agreement to run in the regional elections of November of that year.[10][11][12] On 23 January, in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the return of democracy to Venezuela, the coalition of National Unity (later known as the Democratic Unity Roundtable) was created, formed by the political parties A New Era (UNT), Justice First (PJ), Democratic Action (AD), Copei, Movement For Socialism (MAS), Radical Cause, Project Venezuela (PRVZL), Fearless People's Alliance (ABP) and Popular Vanguard (VP), reached an agreement committing to present joint candidates in all the states and municipalities of the country.[13] Other political parties representing the more radical opposition such as Alianza Popular, Comando Nacional de la Resistencia and Frente Patriótico denounced at the beginning that they were excluded from the agreement.[14]

With the document, called National Unity Agreement, they expected to seek unitary candidacies for the regional elections, besides proposing ten national objectives of their "vision of the country".[15] The agreement also created a set of rules regarding decisions, including decisions being made by a majority of 3/5ths of members or 70% of the popular vote during election processes, the process to determine a joint candidate either through majority or a primary election and a unified policy framework.[16] Many For Social Democracy (Podemos) leaders expressed their support to the presentation of joint candidacies with the Unity, such as Ricardo Gutiérrez and Ernesto Paraqueima, announcing that they would support the candidacies of the above mentioned agreement for governorships and mayorships.[17][18] Ismael García, secretary general of Podemos and deputy for Aragua, announced on 29 April the support of his party to opposition candidates in the states of Lara and Miranda as well as in the Metropolitan District of Caracas for the regional elections.[19][20]

Candidates

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The following list shows the three main candidates according to their political affiliation (government, opposition and dissident or independent) ordered by number of votes attained. The political affiliation is determined by the political parties supporting each candidate. For the 2008 elections, government candidates were supported by the United Socialist Party; opposition candidates were supported by either Justice First, Democratic Action or the Political Electoral Independent Organization Committee parties; and independent candidates were mostly supported by regional parties.

Metropolitan mayors

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‡ Indicates the winning candidate
Metropolitan mayorship winners and candidates with affiliation, percentage and number of votes attained
Metropolitan Area Affiliation Candidate % Votes
Caracas Opposition Antonio Ledezma ‡ 52.40 722,822
Government Aristóbulo Istúriz 44.94 619,622
Independent Augusto Uribe 1.97 27,281
Alto Apure Government Jorge Rodriguez ‡ 55.92 21,381
Independent Elfar Angarita 20.86 7,979
Opposition Ignacio Barrillas 20.21 7,728

Governors

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A white man with gray-shaded hair and lens talking with his mouth half-opened
Antonio Ledezma became the mayor of the Metropolitan municipality of Caracas, defeating Aristóbulo Istúriz.
A man smiling while wearing a hat with the colours of the Venezuelan flag: red, blue and yellow.
Henrique Capriles Radonski, whom became presidential candidate in 2012, defeated former vice-president and governor Diosdado Cabello to become the governor for the Miranda state.
A black suited man talking to an audience in front of a microphone
Pablo Pérez Álvarez defeated his adversary Gian Carlo di Martino and succeeded Manuel Rosales as governor of the Zulia state.
‡ Indicates the winning candidate
Governorship winners and candidates with affiliation, percentage and number of votes attained
State Affiliation Candidate % Votes
Anzoátegui Government Tarek William Saab ‡ 55.09 311,344
Opposition Gustavo Marcano 40.49 228,814
Independent Benjamín Rausseo 3.34 18,879
Apure Government Jesús Aguilarte ‡ 56.97 89,823
Opposition Miriam de Montilla 26.43 41,673
Independent Rafael Rojas 6.85 10,813
Aragua Government Rafael Isea ‡ 58.92 382,845
Opposition Henry Rosales 39.81 258,684
Independent Luis Zapata 0.65 4,245
Barinas Government Adán Chávez ‡ 50.48 148,353
Independent Julio César Reyes 43.95 129,143
Opposition Rafael Jiménez 4.93 14,506
Bolívar Government Francisco Rangel Gómez ‡ 47.38 210,511
Opposition Andrés Velásquez 30.69 136,378
Independent Antonio Rojas Suarez 14.8 65,748
Carabobo Opposition Henrique Salas Feo ‡ 47.50 407,520
Government Mario Silva 44.52 381,950
Independent Luis Felipe Acosta Carlez 6.56 56,290
Cojedes Government Teodoro Bolívar ‡ 52.44 68,903
Opposition Alberto Galíndez 39.59 52,015
Independent Gonzalo Mujica 6.70 8,812
Delta Amacuro Government Lizeta Hernández ‡ 55.80 36,965
Independent Pedro Santaella 25.23 16,716
Opposition Amado Heredia 14.45 9,578
Falcón Government Stella Lugo ‡ 55.36 202,438
Opposition José Gregorio Graterol 44.40 162,359
Independent Jhonny Tovar 0.16 615
Guárico Government Willian Lara ‡ 52.54 147,796
Independent Lenny Manuitt 33.20 93.393
Opposition Reynaldo Armas 13.42 37,759
Lara Government Henri Falcón ‡ 73.52 448,536
Opposition Pedro Pablo Alcántara 14.58 88,948
Independent Fredy Andrade 8.89 54,251
Mérida Government Marcos Díaz Orellana ‡ 55.04 196,667
Opposition Williams Dávila 44.70 159,728
Independent María Díaz 0.25 906
Miranda Opposition Henrique Capriles Radonski ‡ 53.11 583,795
Government Diosdado Cabello 46.10 506,753
Independent Blanca Tamara Vargas 0.53 5,832
Monagas Government José Gregorio Briceño ‡ 64.86 204,857
Opposition Domingo Urbina 15.02 47,437
Independent Ramon Fuentes 12.88 40,684
Nueva Esparta Opposition Morel Rodríguez ‡ 57.53 112,516
Government William Fariñas 41.80 81,756
Independent Nelson Silva 0.48 955
Portuguesa Government Wilmar Castro ‡ 58.22 185,271
Opposition Jobito Villegas 26.93 85,707
Independent Bella Petrizzo 14.49 46,110
Sucre Government Enrique Maestre ‡ 56.51 204,665
Opposition Eduardo Morales Gil 42.21 152,870
Independent Armiche Padrón 0.58 2,110
Táchira Opposition César Pérez Vivas ‡ 49.46 240,478
Government Leonardo Salcedo 48.12 233,995
Independent Rosa Velazco 1.28 6,242
Trujillo Government Hugo Cabezas ‡ 59.96 170,770
Opposition Enrique Catalán 26.30 74,905
Independent Octaviano Mejía 13.22 37,666
Vargas Government Jorge García Carneiro ‡ 61.57 83,937
Opposition Roberto Smith 32.19 44,939
Independent Carlos Mayora 2.81 3,925
Yaracuy Government Julio León ‡ 57.83 130,659
Opposition Filippo Lapi 28.91 65,313
Independent Edward Capdevielle 9.97 22,534
Zulia Opposition Pablo Pérez Álvarez ‡ 53.34 776,372
Government Gian Carlo di Martino 45.26 658,724
Independent Saady Bijani 0.71 10,423

Aftermath

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According to the American think tank Freedom House, from this election forward Venezuela ceased to be an electoral democracy,[21] in part due to the disqualification of hundreds of opposition candidates on corruption charges by stating that "the separation of powers is nearly nonexistent" in Venezuela. According to journalist Rory Carroll, Chávez anticipated that the disqualifications would divide the opposition, though the opposition unified instead.[6] After opposition candidate Antonio Ledezma was elected mayor of the Metropolitan district of Caracas, colectivo leader and Chávez ally Lina Ron occupied Caracas' city hall with the support of authorities.[6] Chávez would later establish a "capital district" that remove mayoral powers from Ledezma.[6]

References

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General

  • "Divulgación Elecciones Regionales 2008". Dirección General de Estadísticas Electorales (in Spanish). Caracas, Venezuela: Consejo Nacional Electoral. 23 November 2008. Archived from the original on 12 February 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2012.

Specific

  1. ^ Rondón Espín, Patricia (3 March 2008). "Chávez funda Partido Socialista Unido para apoyar su revolución". Reuters América Latina (in Spanish). United States: Thomson Reuters Corporate. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  2. ^ "Cargos Que No Se Eligen 2008" (PDF). Dirección General de Estadísticas Electorales (in Spanish). Caracas, Venezuela: Consejo Nacional Electoral. 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2009. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  3. ^ "H. Capriles Radonski". Tal Cual (in Spanish). Caracas, Venezuela: Editorial La Mosca Analfabeta C.A. 12 February 2012. Archived from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  4. ^ a b Chirinos, Carlos (24 November 2008). "Todos ganan en Venezuela". BBC Mundo (in Spanish). United Kingdom: British Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 3 December 2008. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  5. ^ "Curriculum del gobernador" (in Spanish). Zulia State Government. 2007. Archived from the original on 17 January 2007. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Rory, Carroll (2013). Comandante: The Life and Legacy of Hugo Chavez. Canongate Books. pp. 153–155. ISBN 9780857861535.
  7. ^ Wilpert, Gregory (6 August 2008). "Venezuelan Supreme Court Ratifies Candidate Disqualifications as Constitutional". Global Exchange. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  8. ^ "Venezuela: Cracks Showing in Chavez's Control". Stratfor Global Intelligence. 6 August 2008. Archived from the original on 3 September 2008. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  9. ^ "Venezuelans local polls a popularity test for Chavez". Taipei Times. Taiwan: Liberty Times Group. 24 November 2008. Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  10. ^ "Globovision.com - UNT propuso la unión y el consenso para las próximas elecciones". 6 December 2008. Archived from the original on 6 December 2008. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  11. ^ "Copei insiste a la oposición en pactar la unidad". El Universal (in Spanish). 21 July 2018. Archived from the original on 23 January 2008. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  12. ^ "MAS insta a oposición a unir esfuerzos con miras a elecciones regionales". El Universal (in Spanish). 21 July 2018. Archived from the original on 23 January 2008. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  13. ^ "Candidatos unitarios ya tienen acuerdo de país para campaña". El Universal (in Spanish). 21 July 2018. Archived from the original on 26 January 2008. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  14. ^ "Oswaldo Álvarez Paz denuncia que su organización no fue incluida en pacto unitario". El Universal (in Spanish). 21 July 2018. Archived from the original on 28 January 2008. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  15. ^ "Globovision.com - Propuesta de Un Acuerdo de Unidad Nacional "La Alternativa para el Cambio", firmado por las organizaciones políticas de oposición el 23 de enero de 2008". 27 January 2008. Archived from the original on 27 January 2008. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  16. ^ Jiménez, Maryhen (February 2023). "Contesting Autocracy: Repression and Opposition Coordination in Venezuela". Political Studies. 71 (1): 47–68. doi:10.1177/0032321721999975. S2CID 236367812.
  17. ^ "Plataforma Bolivariana". www.nodo50.org. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  18. ^ "El Nuevo Día - Podemos dispuesto a apoyar candidato opositor demócrata". 7 May 2008. Archived from the original on 7 May 2008. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  19. ^ "Podemos apoyará a candidatos opositores". El Universal (in Spanish). 22 July 2018. Archived from the original on 2 May 2008. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  20. ^ LF Angosto (2009), Bolívar, espejo de la revolución: los comicios regionales de 2008 en Venezuela
  21. ^ Freedom in the World report: Venezuela, 2009

Further reading

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