Who is the man challenging Chavez?
Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez faces a battle to retain power in Sunday's tightly contested election battle against Henrique Capriles. Here are some facts about Chavez's opponent:
- A 40-year-old law graduate, currently governor of Venezuela's second-most populous state, Miranda.
- Became Venezuela's youngest legislator at the age of 26, then won the mayorship of a Caracas municipality.
- His maternal grandparents, the Radonskis, left Poland for Venezuela to flee anti-Semitism.
- A keen basketball player and sports lover, he downs Red Bulls to keep his energy up.
- Imprisoned for four months on charges of fomenting a protest at the Cuban Embassy in 2002; acquitted at trial.
- If elected, says he wants to copy Brazil's 'modern left' model of economic and social policies.
- Opposes more nationalisations but proposes keeping the best of Chavez's much-vaunted "Missions" for the poor.
- Has made education his flagship policy, pointing to a strong record of opening new schools in Miranda.
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