Petkoff pulls off 60-second PR candidacy launching stunt

Apr 21
by Patrick J. O'Donoghue
Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate, Teodoro Petkoff has pulled off an PR stunt last night to announce his candidacy.

In an obvious attempt to criticize President Chavez Frias' overexposure on national TV, Petkoff asked viewers for just one minute and no more of their time to announce that he will run for the presidency.

* The usually loquacious Talcual tabloid editor has sent out a simple message, insisting that Venezuela wants peace and an end to confrontation ... "no more anguish, division and fear."

The reason for running, Petkoff declares, is based on the conviction that things cannot continue as they are.

The spin was directed at the middle classes and the so-called "neither-nors," neither with the government nor against.

Referring to existing sectarianism in pro-government sectors, the candidate has leveled his fire at the so-called Tascon and Maisanta lists that have barred people from getting public service jobs.

"What right i s there to deny jobs and bread for political reasons."

The government's splashing around of a huge amount of financial resources, Petkoff claims, has not lifted people out of poverty ... "no jobs have been created and nobody feels safe on the streets or at home."

Calling for clean elections, the new candidate says he wants an honorable and able government that represents all Venezuelans, including opponents.

This afternoon Petkoff returned to loquacious form with a full blown press conference proposing an oil food ticket (cestaticket), using a percentage of oil income to finance educational, health and hosuing costs.