The presidential-bis Venezuelan campaign started strong, real strong

Well, Capriles words a couple of hours ago had such an effect on Maduro that the guy felt compelled to reply on the spot, something that Chavez rarely did, and when he did was to dismiss the other side without much of a response  His replies came later, in repeat cadenas, using them to do more than just respond, attempting to preempt the counter reply.

Maduro is none of that, and in fact many journalists tweeting swear he was using a teleprompter!!!!!  I did not see the Maduro reply, he irritates me even more than Chavez who at least had a joke that even someone like me could smile at. Thus I cannot tell you whether he used a teleprompter or whether his replies had any impact  According to tweeter he failed badly there too but I am not taking their word for it: tweeter oppos are not Maduro targets, let's not forget that.

However what I can tell you is what in particular did force Maduro to reply to Capriles so fast, and so out of touch apparently.

First he called him a liar and proved it. He did not need to go very far nor into many details. He simply reminded folks that a week before his announced death Chavez was having allegedly 5 hours work meetings with Maduro et al. So, either Maduro lied, or he killed Chavez with work. Whichever is the answer, Maduro comes as a piece of shit.  Then Capriles went ahead, knowing of course that he had put Maduro in an impossible quandary, to say that all the Chavez signatures this year were fake and all decisions, devaluation included, were not from Chavez. The only way for them to prove Capriles wrong is to publish an official certificate of death for Chavez the day he supposedly did so, with M.D. willing to stake their name, career and reputation on it.   Do not hold your breath.

And if Maduro insists then Capriles will just have to point out that for Chavez to remain in on display so freshly after his death can only mean that eh was embalmed BEFORE last Tuesday.

From what I understand of Maduro replies a short while ago, he is not going to insist much on that....

Another thing Capriles did skilfully and even with a tad of a risk, is to tell the country that the current minister was one before last in his promotion.  That is, he is not defense minister whatsoever for merit but for political intrigue. El Pueblo has been told for so long that military are so great with Chavez that this small little detail is going to leave more than one perplex. Are good military against Chavez? Are chavista military the scum of their promotions? Why did Molero got the nod if he started so bad? What did he do to compensate his early unpromising start? Etc, etc.....

Maduro replied to that saying that Capriles insulted the army, that this one should sue or something. No dice because once again if the army feels insulted it is indeed because they accepted Molero as defense minister. Otherwise, why would they feel insulted?

Maduro went again on the rampage saying he has proof that Capriles has several luxurious apartments in the US. Well, this one is easy: since Capriles has announced that he can reveal a lot of stuff about the regime if pushed that way, I think Maduro better shut up on such accusations because the long lists of chavista properties outside Venezuela could suddenly surface.....

I could keep going on but you get the point. there has been a major game change and the campaign is already in full swing. With this type of combativeness Capriles can go a long way to counter the regime material abuse for the campaign. For example he asked tonight why was it that Maduro had already so many campaign t-shirts made, so many posters and trinkets ready for a cmapaign if Chavez was going to get well anyway?

No wonder Maduro was discombobulated tonight. It is not given to many to be teflon like the way Chavez was....