Venezuela - after Chavez

President Hugo Chavez lost his two-year battle with cancer on 5 March, but the country was already beginning to prepare for a post-Chavez Venezuela. His designated successor, Nicolas Maduro, had begun to assume the day-to-day presidential duties, while the opposition was on stand-by mode with regard to a new campaign due to public pressure to respect the President's last days. With Chavez's passing, elections are expected to be called within 30 days. Nevertheless, the opposition, led by,