The Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, is expected to win today's elections, but his support is expected to fall. While his rival Francisco Arias has managed to gain support, opinion polls show he trails his rival by 16 to 21 points. Mr Arias has capitalised on growing disenchantment among various sectors of the society, particularly the business community and the middle class, but also among the military establishment. Mr Chavez gets much of his backing from impoverished Venezuelans, who make up 80% of the country's population.
