Venezuela opposition holds primaries for legislative contest

[Bacchus4.0]

http://news.yahoo.com/venezuela-opposition-holds-primaries-legislative-contest-032637044.html

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelan opposition candidates, campaigning on a shoestring and sometimes from behind bars, sought a chance Sunday to take part in what may be their best chance in years to defeat the country's socialist government.





Turnout was less than 7 percent, two points lower than in the last legislative primaries, held in 2010. Few voters had been expected to come out for the contest in which just 42 of the country's 167 legislative seats were in play. The other spots have already been reserved by opposition coalition leaders.

Further hampering interest was the fact that date of the general election has not yet been set, though the administration of President Nicolas Maduro has pledged to hold the contest in late November or early December.

The primary also has received little coverage in much of the pro-government press and the coalition said it's so short of funds that it asked candidates to put up 150,000 bolivars, about $500 at the black market rate, to finance their campaigns. No major incidents were reported Sunday, though some voters complained that television news had all but blacked out the event.