Venezuelans try to outvote Chavez

Five years ago Antonio Ojeda voted for Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, hoping the left-leaning ex-army officer would make good on his promises to end years of corruption and neglect. Yesterday, the 34-year-old administrator signed an opposition petition seeking a referendum on the rule of a president he says has failed to deliver on pledges to improve life in the world's number five oil exporter.

The opposition believes with a four-day campaign it can gather the 2.4 million signatures - 20 per cent of the registered electorate - needed to force a vote against a leader they accuse of abusive rule and economic mismanagement. Thousands turned out at 2,700 centers nationwide for the first day of the campaign on Friday in a clear signal to the populist leader that his foes were bent on unseating him at the ballot box in a referendum early next year.

A defiant Chavez says he will defeat any opposition attempt to vote him out of office. He says most people support his "revolutionary" reforms, such as land redistribution and cheap credits, to improve the lives of the poor majority.

The National Electoral Council, the body that overseas elections, will have to verify the pro-referendum signatures before any vote can take place. If the opposition collects the valid signatures, the council will set a poll date probably for April next year.