Vote shock in Chávez homeland underscores Venezuela’s divide

By REGINA GARCIA CANO
Associated Press

BARINAS, Venezuela (AP) — Farmer Julio Álvarez hasn’t sold milk in about a year and a half even though the cows at his farm in northwestern Venezuela are milked every day. Fuel shortages and rationing make it impossible to transport it to market. The fed up Álvarez was among many who voted for the opposition in last month’s gubernatorial election in Barinas, the state that produced Hugo Chávez and has long been ruled by members of the late president’s family. The apparent defeat of Argenis Chávez led stunned authorities to retroactively disqualify the opposition candidate and schedule a new election for Jan. 9.