Continuation of the Bolivarian Project Reaffirmed


So, as most of the Polls predicted, Chavez won by a wide margin on Sunday December 3rd. I think many were surprised by how peacefully things proceeded. There were periodic rumors on Friday and Saturday that violence had broken out and the some of the more aggressive of the opposition would sabotage voting centers. But there was nothing to these rumors.

We hung out in the 23 de Enero (January) Barrio on Saturday night and Sunday. Of course most of the Barrios are Chavista, but this particular one- as Dawns previous post explains, is extremely well organized and known for its militant political consiousness. (January 23rd, 1958 is the date that the Perez Jimenez dictatorship was finally overthrown.)

Folks got up at 3am in the morning to bugle music blaring on speakers from community members houses. Then more fireworks, by 4am the voting lines are already forming. Comparing to my experience with US elections, this is the opposite extreme. Where in US elections, we might get around to voting after the work day, Venezuelans spend the entire day participating in the process. By 1pm the voting center where we were doing interviews had no line at all- Everyone votes early.

Polls close at 6pm, but will stay open longer if there is anyone waiting in lines at voting centers. We ended up using the time between 4 and 10pm, when they the CNE (Elections Council) finally announced the preliminary results, to rest and start editing some video. But as soon as Chavez was announced the winner, the entire area around the Mira Flores (Presidential Palace) erupted in celebration. The Sea of Red took over the streets in a driving rain. Chavez got on the speaker and talked for a couple hours. We danced along with everyone else, it was one of those euphoric victories even though everyone pretty much knew Chavez would win.

We will post a link to the 15 minute video as soon as its ready.
For more info on the elections http://venzuelanalysis.com

Peace,
Andy