Venezuela polls mixed as presidential vote nears

Venezuelan pollsters diverged sharply on Wednesday over whether President Hugo Chavez will win re-election on October 7 or lose to opposition rival Henrique Capriles in an increasingly close election.

Most of the country's best-known polls show Chavez ahead, but Capriles' poll numbers have been creeping up in the closing days of the campaign. Polls in Venezuela are notoriously controversial and public opinion has shifted quickly.

The closely watched election will determine whether Chavez continues his drive to turn the OPEC nation into a bastion of oil-financed socialism. Capriles has promised to build a Brazil-style "modern left" administration that balances social welfare with respect for private enterprise.

A survey by respected firm Consultores 21 made public on Wednesday showed Capriles with a slim lead of 0.8 percentage point over Chavez, although this was within the margin of error and similar to the firm's poll a month earlier.

More at: http://news.yahoo.com/venezuela-polls-mixed-presidential-vote-nears-215704429.html