Venezuela Votes With Mixed Results

[T]hugo Chavez didn't get the sweeping endorsement he hoped would carry his socialist policies into action with a compliant parliament waiting to rubber stamp them into effect. The opposition won nearly half the popular vote, but only 5 of 22 provinces.

In power for almost a decade, the popular anti-U.S. president won 17 of 22 states, but the opposition held onto the two states it won at the last regional elections four years ago, picked up three more and won the powerful mayoralty of the capital Caracas.

Opposition candidates were helped by widespread voter complaints the government has done too little to control some of the world's worst murder rates and Latin America's highest inflation rate.

The overall mixed results triggered a public relations battle as each side fought to seize the momentum by persuading Venezuelans it was the victor in an election where a high 65 percent of voters cast ballots.

The outcome of the post-election tussle could determine whether Chavez has the backing to realize his reelection goal or follow through on threats to spread his nationalizations program by seizing assets from landowners or food companies.

Needless to say, this is a good thing for the Venezuelans, who must be realizing by now that Chavez's economic policies are ruining their economy and he can't simply blame the US for all that ails his country.

Venezuela's economic woes are self inflicted - from the nationalization of industries to price controls that have sent inflation spiraling out of control and caused shortages of food and other goods.

Chavez can't afford to put his grandiose plans to rework the economy in his warped image because the price of oil has collapsed but he continues to gear his socialist rhetoric to those who are among the most poor and downtrodden, and yet they're seeing the least benefit from Chavez's policies because he simply doesn't understand basic economics.

UPDATE:
Ed Morissey has a similarly upbeat assessment of the vote as being a bigger defeat for Chavez than I note. Chavez will continue to scheme at pushing through his agenda by any means necessary, and this vote will likely cause him to redouble his efforts, which include intimidating the opposition.