The Buzz | Challenge for socialists as Venezuelans elect legislature

The socialist system built by Hugo Chavez is facing its gravest electoral test as Venezuelans cast ballots in what seems to have become a tightening race for control of the national legislature. Government-sponsored fireworks and music woke people up in working-class parts of Caracas, and voters began lining up before polling stations opened, anxious to cast their ballots early in case violence should break out later in the day.
Wealthier neighborhoods, which tend to favor the opposition, were spared the early morning cacophony. Until recently, the opposition was seen coasting to its first major electoral victory since Chavez became president in 1998, with Venezuelans tired of rampant crime, routine shortages of basic goods and inflation pushing well into triple digits. The economic crisis has worsened with this year’s slump in oil revenue, which funds almost all public spending.