In the last 14 years Venezuela, an oil-rich country in South America, has been ruled by President Hugo Chávez. A Comandante from the army, with a humble background that took the country by surprise when he won the elections in 1998. With him in power a new socialism government changed the face of the country, previously better known for beauty pageants and as the birthplace of Simón Bolivar, the Latin America liberator.
For years the Chávez government ruled the country with minimum opposition, usually composed by an elite class that for decades enjoyed the benefits of living in an oil-rich country. Maybe they were in shock and unorganized. There was a short-lived coup attempt in April 2002 that lasted for 47 hours but by public demand, mostly from the poor people that left the slums and invaded the streets of the capital Caracas calling for their president, Chávez returned to power stronger than ever and ruled with almost no opposition since then. The Bolivarian Revolution resembled a train with no stopovers, but years have passed and the problems start to become more evident.
Today, Venezuelan society is more divided than ever. The supporters of Chávez, known as Chavistas, in one side and on the other the opposition composed not only by the middle class and the elite as before, but also by common people that feels that the country needs a change.
The raise of the opposition has a face. Henrique Capriles a young and motivated politician with work done as Governor of Miranda state. He is the one that for the first time can challenge President Hugo Chávez.
On 7 October 2012, new elections will decide the future of the Bolivarian Revolution. "Faces and Voices of an Election" is a photographic project where I intend to give voice to both sides, the supporters of Chávez and of Capriles, to create a better understanding of what the Venezuelan people think about the changes and hopes for their country.