Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez is a typical Latin American caudillo (strongman) who achieved an international profile primarily because of his lavish petrodollar diplomacy.

Visiting Fellow Roger Noriega

At home, he has forged an intensely ideological, combative, and intolerant regime, brandishing polarising rhetoric to divide and incite social classes and mobilising the tools of the state to suppress and persecute his opponents.

Since taking office, he has systematically concentrated power under his "revolution". He rewrote the constitution to eliminate checks and balances in order to consolidate power in his hands.

His 1999 constitution eliminated the senate, did away with congressional oversight of the armed forces, and politicised the judiciary.

He has used these powers to harass the independent media and potential opponents.

I believe his failure to win a UN Security Council seat, which was his to lose, will be seen as the high water mark for "Chavismo".

With his bombastic performance at the UN General Assembly, Venezuelans witness that his revolutionary message and outlandish spending abroad have bought him national humiliation. His allies in Bolivia, Peru, and Mexico have fallen flat, and his mentor Castro is breathing his last.

At home, Venezuelans have grown poorer, less secure, and more divided under his rule. Chavez's political opposition is uniting behind an able and tough politician, experienced governor Manuel Rosales.

There is much evidence that Chavez has lost "the street" and some polls show the opposition closing the gap despite a government-funded campaign.

Electoral observers of the Organization of American States and the European Union have an important responsibility to ensure a free and fair election. But more and more every day, Venezuelans are realising that if they are to reclaim their democracy, they will have to toughen up and do it themselves.

Roger F. Noriega is a visiting fellow at AEI.