Opposition complains about Chavez tactics

Venezuela's opposition accused President Hugo Chavez on Friday of spending government money and clamping down on protests in the campaign to extend his rule for at least another decade.

Chavez visited poor city slums on Friday, the last day of campaigning before Venezuelans vote in a referendum on lifting a two-term limit on presidents and other politicians.

Victory in today's vote would allow Chavez to stay in power for as long as he keeps winning elections. Polls give the socialist president a slight lead after several weeks of intense campaigning that opposition parties and anti-government students say has been distorted by abuses of power.

In a sign of what the opposition says is Chavez's intolerance of criticism, the electoral authority stripped a European lawmaker of his observer credentials and urged the government to expel him for questioning an extension of poll hours.

Some in the opposition say the change favours the government because it can use state vehicles to ferry late voters to polls in a tight vote.

Trucks from state-oil company PDVSA have been used in the campaign and public workers frequently complain in private they are obliged to take part in Chavez's rallies.

Opposition parties say the National Electoral Council has dragged its feet to approve campaign advertisements and say they were denied permits for several marches.

"It's total abuse," student leader Bernardo Pulido told foreign journalists. "They have refused us eight permits."

An opposition march planned for Friday was cancelled because it did not receive the necessary paperwork.

Popular for high social spending, Chavez was for years unbeatable at the ballot box but he lost his previous bid to remove term limits in 2007. The opposition made gains in state and city elections last year and Chavez could lose today if turnout is low or undecided voters swing away from him.

During the referendum campaign, Chavez has frequently commandeered Venezuela's television and radio channels to broadcast long speeches about his achievements, blocking other programmes.

Despite their complaints, opposition leaders on Friday urged supporters to vote and said they would have witnesses at every polling station to check the count.