Obviously he only shot himself in the foot because his poll numbers were dropping. He doesn't appeal to the Good People*TM of Venezuela so of course he resorts to this sort of underhanded tactic for sympathy votes rather than taking the Democratic way of winning by ... getting less votes. Which just goes to show how much of a dictator he really is. And that is why the guy who tried to coup the government twice the outstanding gentleman from Caracas, Mr. Lopez, should replace him by fiat.