Venezuela: Could the opposition benefit from a long primary?

Blogging by boz ^[1] lists 5 ways the opposition (MUD ^[2]) in Venezuela could benefit from a “long, tough primary”: “It's impossible to say for certain whether the late primary will benefit or harm the MUD until after it happens. But if the MUD ends up winning in 2012, I can guarantee that a long and ugly primary battle starting now and ending in February will be a key contributor to that victory.”