The Deification of Chavez’s and Future Country as Thematic Supports of the Venezuelan Presidential Campaign of 2013

Abstract

This article analyzes the discursive representation assumed by the Venezuelan press about its vision of the political actors during the presidential campaign of 2013. The study is based on the communicative linguistic approach (Molero de Cabeza, 2003; Molero y Cabeza, 2009; Franco, 2007) and critical discourse analysis (Van Dijk, 1999, 2005, 2010), which are configured in the theoretical - methodological model proposed by Aguillon Vale (2011). Fifty six (56) newspaper texts were analyzed, referring to the candidates Nicolas Maduro and Henrique Capriles. The results revealed that: a) the electoral strife took place in a context marked by confrontation between two candidates who accentuated the political polarization in the country; b) Maduro's proposal was focused on the deification of the image and discourse of the deceased President Hugo Chavez; while the proposal of Capriles was based on a vision of change and struggle for the future of the homeland.