Quico says: PSUV offered its activists payments ranging from BsF. 2,000 to BsF. 4,000 ($900-1800 at the official exchange rate) to work on the campaign. The deal is half-cash, half Cestatickets. Plus Chávez has been promising prize trips to Cuba for the best campaign workers.Desperation to mobilize folks? Maybe...but still, it's a measure of how brutally outspent we're getting. I mean, if the opposition had the possibility to offer those kinds of incentives to its rank-and-file, you can bet they'd jump on 'em.
(I really feel bad to have to keep my sources secret here, but some things are said in confidence and, well...you understand.)
