Chavez promises to do better as he faces tough election fight

President Hugo Chavez has vowed to run a more efficient government if he wins Venezuela’s election next weekend, while rival Henrique Capriles demanded justice for the shooting of two opposition activists.

With the country’s 7 October presidential vote shaping into a close fight, Mr Capriles is hammering Mr Chavez daily on his record with day-to-day problems such as crime, blackouts and shoddy infrastructure.

“Efficiency, that is one of my promises for the next period. We have to correct things,” the 58-year-old president said yesterday in his most direct comment on a theme the opposition hopes could sway former “Chavistas”.

In recent days, Mr Chavez has added into his campaign speeches an acknowledgement of Venezuelans’ frustration with grassroots problems but has said things would be far worse under Mr Capriles.

Mr Capriles, 40, lambasted the government overnight for the fatal shootings of two local opposition leaders in Barinas state.