Caracas, May 23 (RHC) -- Local TV channels showed Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Tuesday as he hosted a meeting of the Council of Ministers at the Nestor Kirchner Hall, in the Miraflores Government Palace.

Speaking with a strong voice and showing no sign of fatigue, the Venezuelan leader expressed his confidence in winning the presidential election scheduled for October 7th, saying he would give his rival, opposition candidate Henrique Capriles, a defeat with “no precedent in the political history of this country.”

He also appealed for calm among the members of the political opposition giving signs of desperation almost every day, after rejecting recent attacks on journalists of the National System of Public Media during election rallies of the right-wing candidate.

In addition, President Chavez took the opportunity to call on ‘rational’ opposition leaders to follow this situation closely, although he insisted that the national government will guarantee peace and security in the country.

Also during the cabinet meeting, the Venezuelan head of State announced that the 2013-2019 Government Program, including ten major challenges and strategies, is at the discussion stage and will be submitted to the National Electoral Council (CNE) shortly, as required to all presidential candidates.

Chavez noted that the government plan for that period will prioritize the development of competitive industries, particularly those producing consumer goods for the domestic market; in addition to speeding up the process to modernize agriculture and the mining industry, especially iron, copper, aluminium and gold. The plan will also seek to boost Venezuela’s economic development to bring it to an annual growth of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of about 8 percent.

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