Opposition wins revote for governor in heartland of Chavismo

By REGINA GARCIA CANO and JUAN PABLO ARRAEZ
Associated Press

BARINAS, Venezuela (AP) — Twice in less than two months, Venezuela’s opposition has prevailed in the gubernatorial race in the home state of the late President Hugo Chávez, with the results giving hope to that faction while shocking the ruling party. Voters in the state of Barinas on Sunday picked a candidate from the U.S.-backed opposition in a closely watched special election called after the contender representing that bloc in November’s regular contest was retroactively disqualified as he was ahead in the vote count. Sergio Garrido amassed 55.4% of the vote, defeating former foreign minister Jorge Arreaza whose campaign became an all-out effort to keep the bastion of Chavismo under their control.