Bitterness Felt as Chávez Recall Fails

Sunday's optimism turned into Monday's disappointment for thousands of South Florida-based Venezuelans who voted overwhelmingly to oust populist President Hugo Chávez -- but wound up in the loser's camp.

News of Chávez's lopsided victory at home hit hard in a community rich with supporters of the recall. Many went to bed Sunday believing the opposition was prevailing.

Analysts had predicted that a Chávez victory could mean more Venezuelan immigration and investment in South Florida.

Local opposition groups that helped out with Sunday's polling said they tallied 12,710 votes in favor of Chávez's recall and 246 against it. Twelve votes were ruled invalid.

The figures couldn't be confirmed Monday with the Venezuelan Consulate.

In Venezuela, about 58 percent of voters voted ''No,'' officials said.

''The situation in Venezuela is going to get worse instead of better, and it's going to get more radical,'' said Dr. Irwin Vasquez of Fort Lauderdale, a leader in Broward County's Venezuelan community.

``There is no separation of power. Chávez now controls the executive branch, the legislative and the judicial. What democracy works this way?''

Another Chávez opponent, Patricia Andrade of western Miami-Dade County, said she doubted the election results were valid -- an opinion shared by many voters in Miami despite statements from former President Jimmy Carter and other independent observers that the vote had appeared fair.

But pro-Chávez organizer Tahis Soto of Miami-Dade said the charismatic president, a protégé of Cuban leader Fidel Castro, has ''many projects for the people'' that will improve society. A majority of Venezuela's 24 million people live in poverty.

''I think the opposition has to accept that Chávez won, and they have to try to work together for Venezuela, for all the people there,'' Soto said.