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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Chavez seeks re-election mandate | Chavez seeks re-election mandate |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Venezuelans are voting in a presidential election that offers starkly contrasting visions of their country's future course. | |
| Hugo Chavez, the left-wing incumbent and outspoken critic of the United States, is seeking a new six-year term to complete his socialist revolution. | Hugo Chavez, the left-wing incumbent and outspoken critic of the United States, is seeking a new six-year term to complete his socialist revolution. |
| His main challenger, Manuel Rosales, wants to keep a market-based system. | His main challenger, Manuel Rosales, wants to keep a market-based system. |
| Mr Chavez has won support from millions of poor Venezuelans by using oil wealth to boost social programmes. | Mr Chavez has won support from millions of poor Venezuelans by using oil wealth to boost social programmes. |
| He is widely expected to win but Mr Rosales has been gaining in popularity and leads an opposition that seems more united than it did a year ago. | He is widely expected to win but Mr Rosales has been gaining in popularity and leads an opposition that seems more united than it did a year ago. |
| Whoever wins the election will have to try to unite a deeply divided country or face much political instability, the BBC's Greg Morsbach reports from Caracas. | Whoever wins the election will have to try to unite a deeply divided country or face much political instability, the BBC's Greg Morsbach reports from Caracas. |
| 'Last chance' | 'Last chance' |
| Venezuela's 16 million voters are deciding whether Mr Chavez should be rewarded with another term in office. | Venezuela's 16 million voters are deciding whether Mr Chavez should be rewarded with another term in office. |
| Q&A: Venezuela votes | Q&A: Venezuela votes |
| Mr Chavez, who rose to power in 1999 amid widespread disenchantment with the old political order, has promised to consolidate what he calls his "social revolution". | Mr Chavez, who rose to power in 1999 amid widespread disenchantment with the old political order, has promised to consolidate what he calls his "social revolution". |
| He has garnered support by using the boom in oil revenues to redistribute wealth to the poor. | He has garnered support by using the boom in oil revenues to redistribute wealth to the poor. |
| "Chavez was sent here by God," Rosa Gonzalez, 41, told the Associated Press news agency. | "Chavez was sent here by God," Rosa Gonzalez, 41, told the Associated Press news agency. |
| "He knows what it is to be poor. He suffered it as a boy, and that's why he understands us and tries to help us," she said. | "He knows what it is to be poor. He suffered it as a boy, and that's why he understands us and tries to help us," she said. |
| However, Margarita Nunez, a 23-year-old student, told AP she feared the radical plans that Mr Chavez may have in mind. | However, Margarita Nunez, a 23-year-old student, told AP she feared the radical plans that Mr Chavez may have in mind. |
| "This is our last chance," she said. "This is the last time we can stop him from ruining this country." | "This is our last chance," she said. "This is the last time we can stop him from ruining this country." |
| Mr Chavez's critics accuse him of concentrating power in his own hands and squandering Venezuela's oil wealth. | Mr Chavez's critics accuse him of concentrating power in his own hands and squandering Venezuela's oil wealth. |
| Mr Rosales, governor of the oil-rich western state of Zulia, says Venezuela's long-term interests lie in free-market policies and attracting foreign investment. | Mr Rosales, governor of the oil-rich western state of Zulia, says Venezuela's long-term interests lie in free-market policies and attracting foreign investment. |
| He has pledged to roll back policies which, he says, are leading the country towards a Cuban-style communist system. | He has pledged to roll back policies which, he says, are leading the country towards a Cuban-style communist system. |
| Hundreds of international election observers are in Venezuela, including from the European Union and the Organisation of American States. | Hundreds of international election observers are in Venezuela, including from the European Union and the Organisation of American States. |