Venezuela Election Race Starts

Venezuela Election Race Starts, Opposition At Disadvantage -- Reuters

(Reuters) - Venezuela has fired the starting gun in a highly charged election race likely to pit Hugo Chavez's preferred successor, acting President Nicolas Maduro, against centrist opposition leader Henrique Capriles.

The pair have until Monday to register their candidacy for the April 14 vote, which will determine whether Chavez's self-styled nationalist-socialist revolution will live on in the OPEC nation, home to the world's largest proven oil reserves.

Chavez died on Tuesday at age 58 after a two-year battle with cancer.

Former vice president Maduro, 50, a hulking one-time bus driver and union leader turned politician who echoes Chavez's anti-imperialist rhetoric, is seen winning the election comfortably, according to two recent polls.

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Update: All eyes on opposition leader Henrique Capriles as Venezuela prepares to replace Hugo Chavez -- FOX News/AP

My Comment: This election is going to be an uphill battle for opposition leader Henrique Caprilles. The state apparatus is against him, and state controlled media is going to give the Venezuelan public 24/7 coverage of Chavez and acting President Nicolas Maduro being together all the time.