MEXICO, April 1 (RIA Novosti) - An ancient tradition of burning an effigy of the biblical figure Judas Iscariot during Easter celebrations has taken a new twist in intensely politicized Venezuelan society as dummies representing two rival presidential candidates were torched in the capital Caracas on Sunday, local media reported.
A group of pro-governmental activists torched the effigy of opposition candidate Henrique Capriles, together with two other dummies representing “imperialism” and “lies.”
“This year we’ve decided to attach an image of Capriles to our dummy, because he is a living example of betrayal and capitalism, because he is against our interests, interests of the Venezuelan people,” said Roberto Torres, an author of the idea.
Opposition supporters responded by burning their own dummy in the north of the capital. The three-headed effigy represented interim president and presidential candidate Nicolas Maduro, Interior Minister Nestor Reverol, and former vice president Jorge Rodriguez.
Organizers said they picked the trio of officials for their ceremony because of the government’s failure to deal with the country’s pressing problems, such as growing crime, and soaring costs of living caused by currency devaluation in February.
