As an important 26 September vote approaches, President Chavez's opposition parties are almost guaranteed gains. But today, soldiers tear-gassed a group of opposition candidates near the parliament building. "We were walking towards the assembly, we were going to read a document, and without warning the National Guard started firing tear gas," claimed candidate Stalin Gonzalez. Electricity cuts and a rotting food scandal have dragged Chavez's ratings to about 36%, the lowest since 2003. "This is his worst moment in 11 years," said anti-Chavez newspaper editor Teodoro Petkoff. "But his emotional link with a large sector of the nation remains very powerful."
FOR EVEN MORE POLLING DETAILS, SEE: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/08/25/1791981/chavezs-popularity-down-in-venezuela.html