Venezuela vote rivals launch campaigns with gifts, promises of change

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro kicked off his presidential campaign giving away trash trucks and tractors while challenger Henri Falcon laid out plans to de-politicize state oil company PDVSA [PDVSA.UL] and dollarize an ailing economy. Turnout at the May 20 election is expected to be low given Venezuelans’ depression over an unprecedented economic meltdown and a boycott by the mainstream opposition which views the poll as a farce intended to legitimize autocracy. More…