Youthful challenger takes on Chavez in Venezuela

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan presidential candidate Henrique Capriles on Monday called for "balanced elections" and criticized the use of government money and slanted coverage in state media as President Hugo Chavez seeks re-election.

Chavez is expected to use his government powers and a bonanza of public spending to seek re-election in the Oct. 7 election. Capriles also complained that government-run television and other media coverage is tilted against him.

"Let's have some balanced elections," Capriles said at a news conference a day after handily winning the opposition's first-ever presidential primary.

The 39-year-old candidate, who is governor of Miranda state, also strongly criticized Chavez's economic policies. He condemned the government's expropriations of hundreds of businesses, apartment buildings and farms over the past decade, saying the seizures have been a failure.

Capriles said some of those businesses could be privatized if he defeats Chavez in the country's Oct. 7 presidential election.

"All the expropriations have been a failure," Capriles said. "The companies that have been seized by the state must be reviewed one by one."

Capriles said that if elected his government would also review dozens of economic deals signed with foreign countries. "Some of them are completely to Venezuela's disadvantage," he said.

Capriles warned that newly stiffened price controls won't work and predicted many affected items such as deodorant will become scarce.

He pledged to reduce the nation's debt and eventually lift strict currency exchange controls that Chavez imposed in 2003 while trying to stem capital flight. "The exchange controls cannot be dismantled overnight," he said.

Capriles touted the turnout of 2.9 million ballots cast out of 18 million registered voters as a major achievement.

"Venezuela woke up with a new political reality," Capriles said. "The country does want a new leadership."

Vice President Elias Jaua said Monday that it was positive for the opposition to have recognized the authority of the National Electoral Council. Some Chavez opponents have questioned its independence in the past.