Falcon cuts divisive figure in Venezuela presidential election

CARACAS: Henri Falcon, the main opponent to unpopular President Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela’s presidential election, is in the unusual position of being unloved by both Maduro’s ruling socialists and the main opposition alike. Falcon, 56, rejected calls from the opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) this weekend to join their boycott of the May 20 election, insisting his victory would end Venezuela’s diplomatic isolation. “Once we change this government, rest assured that we will be recognized by the international community and we will rescue relations with our allies,” he told reporters.

But analysts say the main problem for Falcon, a 56year-old former mayor and state governor who defected from the ruling socialists in 2010, is that he is seen as a traitor by both the opposition and the government. “Falcon has generally shown a predisposition to play by the government’s rules and has been one of the fiercest advocates of electoral participation,” said Risa GraisTargow of Eurasia Group.

That has flown in the face of the four main opposition parties who make up the MUD, who dismiss the election as a farce and Falcon as a Maduro puppet. “Without a doubt, the government needs Henri Falcon, it needs a relatively well-known figure to participate,” Venezuela analyst Andres Canizales told AFP. “He is playing a risky game, trying to form a political center distinct from Chavism and the radical opposition,” he said. —AFP