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The Making of a Venezuelan President: 1978

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The Making of a Venezuelan President: 1978 No. 45 by Howard Handelman The Making of a Venezuelan South America [HH-4-'781 President: 1978 The grey Mercedes wound its way million-elect a president, both extremely high level of direct through the narrow streets of houses of Congress, and the contact between the candidate and urbanizacion Ruperto Lugo, a municipal councils.' Universal the electorate. Herrera in particular, deteriorating, working-class suffrage extends to everyone over a warm, gregarious man, favors neighborhood in northwestern the age of 18, and voting is small, face-to-face gatherings over Caracas. Occasionally, as the car technically obligatory.2 In mass rallies. In his efforts to meet as stopped for a light, a passing December 1978, shortly before this many voters as possible, he typically pedestrian or a driver in a nearby car Report appears in print, Venezuela works a 16-hour day, sleeps no more glanced in and reacted with will hold its fifth presidential election than 5 to 6 hours (the night before surprise. Some waved or shouted since the reintroduction of the housing project tour he had hello and the bulky, graying Senator democracy in 1958. Whatever the managed only 4), and catches in the front seat, already looking outcome, incumbent President 5-minute naps in his car or plane. tired at the start of yet another long Carlos Andres Perez will peacefully day, waved back. Finally, our car hand the reins of government to the "I guess you could sa y that I started reached its destination, a huge, victor as have his four predecessors efforts to reunite the party, and my low-income, public housing project in the country's recent democratic campaign for the presidency, two on the edge of the district. The era. Given the current domination of days after our disastrous 1973 candidate and his bodyguard military regimes, generally defeat," he told me. "Since getting jumped from the car and the waiting authoritarian in nature, throughout the nomination last August ( I6 crowd surged forward, shouting South America, Venezuela's months before the election), I "Luis Herrera, Luis Herrera." Social democratic electoral process merits generally have campaigned six days Christian (COPED militants, some further examination. No other per week and try to keep one day dressed in the party's green colors, country on the continent enjoys open for rest and quiet planning reached through the crowd to shake such intensely contested elections, with m y advisers. " their presidential candidate's hand. nor such a high level of popular As our group walked through involvement in the campaigm3 Herrera Campins' principal housing project high-rises, Senator opponent, Deputy Luis Pifierfia Herrera entered some of the The Selling of a Venezuelan Ordaz of the incumbent Acci6n buildings for prearranged visits to President: The Politics of Democritica (AD) Party also the apartments of COPEI activists. Exhaustion engages in frequent walking tours, Amid the second-hand Luis Herrera Campins' hectic trip to but more often stages mass furniture-the walls often adorned Ruperto Lugo was the second of meetings of the party faithful, the with religious paintings and a poster three walking tours he had general public, or specialized of the candidate- Herrera talked scheduled for Caracas that week interest groups. Given AD'S vastly earnestly with various family (mid-June 1978). During the walk, superior financial resources in this heads-a factory worker, nurse, and he also addressed a series of campaign, he also benefits from a transit policeman. As we left one meetings of functional interest huge mass media campaign. Yet, crowded dwelling, I asked "How groups (business, labor, a woman's Piherfia, too, has been intensely many live in this apartment?" organization) and gatherings of working for years toward this "There are 16 of us-3 families," a copeyano militants. Then Herrera moment. As AD Secretary of woman replied, "all 100 percent departed for the interior on his Organization during the 1973 copeyano. regular three-to-four-day weekend election, and later as Secretary tour of the country's smaller cities General of the party, he carefully Once every 5 years, Venezuelan and villages. Venezuelan cultivated grassroots support for his voters-now numbering some 5.5 presidential campaigns involve an candidacy. For the leading "third party" Christians supplement their TV experience. He has been joined by candidate, Jose Vicente Rangel, campaigns with radio, newspaper, Clifton White, a strategist for former standard-bearer of the Movement to magazine, and movie theater ads Senator James Buckley of New Socialism (MAS), this is the second (before the feature film). Nobody York. At first the Social Christians consecutive presidential race. In one seems to know (or admits to refrained from hiring foreign typical campaign day which I spent knowing) precisely how much is advisers and, indeed, pointed an with Rangel, he began his activities spent by the major parties, but accusing finger at AD for "letting with a 7:00 A.M. gathering of experts agree the figures are Americans run their campaign." sanitation workers in Caracas' Los staggering. Two noted American Later, when the COPEI media Caobos park. He then moved on to political scientists who covered the strategy floundered, they, too, an open air market to discuss food 1973 campaign estimated that AD succumbed to the lure of alleged prices with housewives doing their and COPEI each spent over $40 American expertise and brought in morning shopping. After meeting million in the 1973 election4 Other David Garth, author of Edward with workers at a cement factory at analysts place expenditures far Koch's upset mayoral victory in the edge of town, the candidate higher, and the 1973 figure will be New York City. Diego Arria, the paused briefly for lunch. The exceeded this year. The 1973 outlay former Minister of Information who afternoon was spent walking up and by each major party was is running as a well-financed down the hills of Gramoven, a vast approximately the same amount independent, has demonstrated his shantytown above the road to the spent by Richard Nixon in his ecumenical outlook by employing Caracas airport. Rangel's day winning U.S. campaign one year John Dierdorf, a campaign aide to concluded with an outdoor speech earlier. On a per capita basis, Gerald Ford, and Pat Cadell, pollster and rally (in front of a Catholic expenditure in the current for Jimmy Carter. Of course each Church) in the working-class district Venezuelan election will exceed the party accuses the other of of LTdice, some 15 hours after his outlay of the Carter-Ford race by a depending on foreigners, simul- first appearance. factor of more than five to one! taneously refusing to deny (or Moreover, these estimates do not confirm) their own use of outsiders. Rangel, a handsome and include large amounts of funds charismatic man, is probably the which the incumbent administration The various Venezuelan third parties most effective orator of the three (COPEI in 1973, AD today) spends (mostly on the left)-MAS, MIR, principal candidates. Moreover, he indirectly for its party's candidate. It MEP, FUN - have no such shares Herrera Campins' preference is likely, therefore, that Venezuela's resources. In 1973, for example, the for direct, face-to-face contacts two major parties expend more combined campaign expenditures of with small groups of voters. It is an money per voter in their campaigns all third party candidates was less activity in which both men excel, than do electoral contestants than one tenth the AD and COPEI intently grasping the shoulder or anywhere else in the world. outlays. MAS and MIR, the leading hand of the prospective supporter in Marxist parties, rely heavily on an attempt to establish personal Such expenditures have inevitably posters, handouts, and extensive rapport. Because of MAS' led to the Americanization of volunteer labor by student activists. extremely limited financial Venezuelan elections and the Only rarely does a paid Rangel ad resources, the party places introduction of Madison Avenue appear on television or in the movie particular emphasis on walking techniques. Foreign consultants theaters5 For the other three leftist tours through barrios (low income were introduced into Venezuelan candidates and the two rightists, the neighborhoods) such as Gramoven. campaigns in 1973 when AD purse strings are even tighter. It is 'I never really stopped campaigning candidate Carlos Andres Perez used rumored by inside campaign since the last election," Rangel told several Americans on a part-time observers that MAS has received me. "In the last four and one-half basis and COPEI employed West unpaid tactical advice from years I have visited virtually every German campaign technicians. In campaign technicians furnished by working class barrio in Venezuela." the current race, both major parties the Italian Communist ~arty.~The and the leading independent masistas strenuously deny this. Running for the Venezuelan candidate, Diego Arria, have turned presidency, then, is clearly hard to American media experts. Early in Background to the 1978 Campaign work. For the major political parties the campaign the adecos brought in In any Venezuelan national (AD and COPED, it is also very Joe Napolitan-a former consultant campaign, Acci6n Democritica expensive. Given television's to Hubert Humphrey and author of begins as the front-running party. Its prevalence in Venezuela today The Election Game and How to Play 900,000 registered members far (nearly every home seems to have It (1972)-to work on the Pifierua exceed the membership of any other one), it isn't surprising that campaign. Napolitan, who worked Venezuelan political party. Adecos ( increasing stress has been placed on for Perez in 1973, is the only have secured the largest media "blitzes" for "the selling of foreigner working in the current race congressional delegation in every the president." AD and the Social with previous Venezuelan democratic election held in the country and will undoubtedly lead in and such extensive economic The nation's cities, particularly this year's congressional race.
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