Where Did Chavez Get The Election Dough

[Connolly]

Sorry to start a new thread.

Im very curious to know to where Chavez got the money for his election campaigns. All of them, primarily the first.

And what do the contributers get for their investment?

Where possible, provide links for your sources of info.

Thanks.

[Comrade Castro]

In Venezuela, even before Chavez, you did not really need much money to run for president. And Chavez was already popular and famous enough before the elections of 1998, having led the military coup of February 4, 1992 against the hated Carlos Andres Perez. I remember normal people just donating money to Chavez when he announced he would run for President in 1996, upon leaving jail. Masses of millions of people, if they gave the equivalant of $1 each, was more than enough to buy some commercials, some posters, etc. Some people also donated these things, because he was for more popular than any Venezuelan politician had ever been even at that time. In 1998's elections, 6.5 million voters gave him 56.20% of the vote: completely unheard of in Venezuela, and probably all of Latin America. And the rich have always hated Chavez, since he tried to overthrow Carlos Andres Perez, who made them richer than ever with his crushing neoliberal reforms. Seriously. I don't know one rich person in Venezuela who is even slightly pro-Chavez.