President Hugo Chavez speaks during his weekly TV and radio program "Hello President" from the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2003. Chavez accused top members of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of siding with his opponents and acting with bias against his government. (AP Photo/Ivan Ordonez, Miraflores press)
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez sings the national anthem in the Simon Bolivar hall before a meeting with Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) workers to celebrate the court decision against Exxon Mobil in La Campina building, PDVSA headquarters, in Caracas on March 24 2008. AFP PHOTO/Pedro REY (Photo credit should read PEDRO REY/AFP/Getty Images)
Roberto Koltun / El Nuevo Herald
Venezuelan presidential candidate Hugo Chavez holds his daughter as he greets supporters in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, Friday, Nov. 27, 1998. Venezuelans terrified over the meteoric rise in the polls of Chavez, a failed coup leader, are scrambling to head off his victory in presidential elections, organizing stinging publicity campaigns to warn the public of an impending dictatorship. They are also pressuring other candidates to quit the race so as not to divide the vote against Chavez in the Dec. 6 elections.(AP Photo/Jose Caruci)
Presidential candidate Hugo Chavez and his wife, Maria Isabel, wave to a crowd of thousands of supportters that attended his closing campaign rally in Caracas, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 1998. The 44-year-old former coup leader has capitalized on public disgust over corruption and decades of declining living standards to become the front-runner in next Sunday's presidential race. (AP Photo/Timothy Padek)
Hugo Chavez (I), presidente de Venezuela, camina frente a una parada militar en un acto de juramentacion del nuevo ministro de la Defensa Lucas Rincon Romero, en la ciudad de Caracas, el 06 de mayo de 2002. AFP PHOTO/Juan BARRETO
El presidente de Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, saluda con una bandera de su pais, durante un acto al regreso de una gira por 15 paises de los cuatro continentes, que definio como una cruzada en defensa de los precios del petroleo, el 27 de octubre de 2001, en Caracas. AFP PHOTO/Juan BARRETO
El presidente venezolano, Hugo Chávez, pronuncia hoy, 18 de noviembre de 2008, un discurso durante un acto de apoyo a los candidatos del Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela (PSUV) en el Poliedro de Caracas (Venezuela). EFE/David Fernández
El presidente venezolano, Hugo Chávez, pasa revista a reservistas durante un acto celebrado junto al Palacio de Miraflores hoy, viernes 11 de agosto, en Caracas(Venezuela). Chávez reiteró hoy que clama porque en EEUU se lleve a cabo un "proceso de transición hacia la democracia" que saque del poder a la "mafia imperialista, genocida, fascista y asesina" que, a su juicio, gobierna ese país. EFE/Chico Sánchez
