Poll: 3 in 5 Venezuelans Choose Socialism Over Capitalism

A recent press release from the Venezuelan President's Office reads:

Just 3.4% Venezuelans think capitalism is the best system of government according to the Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez as he referred to a poll conducted by a Venezuelan pollster called Seijas.

During his weekly radio and TV show ¡Aló, Presidente!, President Hugo Chávez stressed that the poll called Barometro de Gestión y Coyuntura Política (Barometer of Management and Political Situation), conducted between September 20 and September 30, shows interesting results.

In this regard, he highlighted that just 3.4% Venezuelans think capitalism is the best system of government, and 22.6% would choose capitalism over socialism, while 62.7% would choose socialism.

The Venezuelan president said that these figures are historical since Venezuela’s progressive movements never achieved more than 10%.

Regarding the Constitutional Reform, President Chávez said that this poll shows that 50.6% interviewees think it was necessary, while 47.3% think it will bring benefits to the country.

President Chávez also talked about the deep debate about the Constitutional Reform. He said it has been much more active than the debate about the referendum to approve the 1999 Bolivarian Constitution. Likewise, he insisted that it was necessary to reduce the historical abstention levels.

Presidential Press Office / October 8, 2007