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Q&A: Venezuela votes

Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's socialist president and vociferous critic of the US, is seeking another six years in power in Sunday's presidential election.

His main rival in the highly polarised campaign is social democrat Manuel Rosales, a regional governor put forward as the opposition's joint candidate.

Observers predict an easy win for Mr Chavez, whose popularity among the country's poor is buoyed up by welfare projects funded by Venezuela's oil wealth.

Who are the main candidates?

Hugo Chavez , 52, has been in office since 1999 after being swept to power on a wave of popular disenchantment with the political establishment.

His message is one of "social revolution", egalitarianism, the redistribution of oil wealth to the poor, rolling back US influence and Latin American solidarity.

After introducing a new constitution that strengthened the presidency, Mr Chavez was re-elected with a large majority in 2000, survived a coup in 2002, and won an opposition referendum to remove him from office in 2004.

He remains popular as a result of generous welfare programmes known as "missions", but also has some support among those who have grown rich in the recent oil-fuelled boom.

His folksy style also goes down well with ordinary Venezuelans, although many middle-class voters see him as uncouth.

Manuel Rosales , the governor of the oil-rich western state of Zulia, is Mr Chavez's main rival.

Mr Rosales, 53, is a social democrat who says he wants to govern for all Venezuelans, describes his platform as "democracy and social justice" and has promised to tackle crime.

One of only two governors who do not support Mr Chavez, he has managed to unite a fragmented opposition behind him.

He has accused Mr Chavez of wasting the country's oil wealth on friendly governments abroad and of trying to introduce Cuban-style communism.

The governor also contrasts what he says is his record as a "proven democrat" with the president's "authoritarianism".

However, some point out that Mr Rosales was one of those who signed a decree declaring Mr Chavez deposed during the short-lived coup of 2002.

Critics also describe him as uncharismatic - his supporters prefer "enigmatic".

What have been the main issues?

- Welfare policy

Despite its oil wealth, Venezuela has long been characterised by sharp social divisions and widespread poverty.

High oil prices have allowed Mr Chavez's government to run generous programmes to help the poor, including free healthcare, basic education and subsidised food.

Mr Rosales says the programmes are politically motivated, do little to tackle the economic root causes of Venezuela's poverty, and in any case were introduced before Mr Chavez came to power.

However, Mr Rosales has promised to continue some of the programmes, and wants to redistribute 20% of the country's oil wealth through special debit cards for the poor.

- Economy

In recent years, Venezuela has benefited hugely from the high price of oil.

Mr Rosales accuses the president of wasting the petrodollars on subsidising friendly governments abroad, such as Fidel Castro's Cuba.

A strong element in Mr Chavez's economic policy has been the nationalisation of large enterprises.

However, his own policies remain relatively vague, apart from hints at reducing the state's role in the economy.

- Foreign policy

Mr Chavez has become prominent on the world stage as a fierce opponent of what he calls the US "empire", and especially President George Bush, whom he describes as the "devil".

He has been a stout ally of Washington's arch-enemy, Fidel Castro of Cuba, whom he calls "father", and has sought closer ties with the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Mr Rosales has, on the other hand, said he wants to improve relations with the United States.

But he has also tried to weaken Mr Chavez's description of him as an American lackey, saying he is neither for the "empire" - Mr Chavez's term for the US - nor for the "bearded one" - a reference to Fidel Castro.

How has the campaign gone?

Mr Chavez has refused to enter into a debate with Mr Rosales, describing George Bush as his real opponent in the election.

Mr Rosales has stressed his family credentials, and says he has walked more than 400km (250 miles) while campaigning.

Both candidates ended their campaigns with huge rallies in the capital, Caracas, attended by hundreds of thousands of supporters. More than 16 million

Venezuelans are eligible to vote.

BBC Monitoring selects and translates news from radio, television, press, news agencies and the internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages. It is based in Caversham, UK, and has several bureaux abroad.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/6198902.stm

Published: 2006/12/01 17:18:20 GMT

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