Hugo Chavez was last seen in the public boarding a plane as he is seen in this photo before being hidden from the public while battling his last days with cancer. (Creative Commons)

Following Chavez's death, vice president Nicolas Maduro was chosen as the acting president. Maduro’s swearing in, which took place on Friday March 8, was met with great opposition from National Assembly speaker Henrique Capriles, who announced he would run for president on Sunday night.

Political issues have arisen around the fact that Maduro, not Capriles, was chosen as the interim acting president, despite provisions within the country’s constitution that said that the National Assembly speaker was to assume the interim position.

MADURO AND CAPRILES: WHO ARE THEY?

Maduro will continue Chavez's socialist political legacy. He served as the vice president to Chavez and also as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2006 to 2013. It was Maduro who announced the death of Chavez and plans to have the body on display. Since Chavez’s death the political climate has escalated due to comments made by Maduro stating that Chavez’s death may be a byproduct of attacks from historical enemies. 

It is being assumed that Capriles is running for president as his constitutionally appointed position as interim president was bypassed by Chavez’s favoritism of Maduro. Capriles is known as a fascist who has spoken out against the ideal of an “empire” supported under Chavez’s socialist reign. He has also lashed out at the government for allowing Maduro to utilize the death of Chavez as a political platform to push his own candidacy as successor.

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Capriles is not expected to win largely in part to Maduro being chosen as successor prior to Chavez’s death. The official date of election has been announced at April 14 with campaigning occurring 12 days prior to election.

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