Venezuela's Chavez Says Plot Was Foiled

Venezuelan President, and candidate for reelection, Hugo Chavez kisses reporters upon his arrival to a news conference at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2006. Venezuela will hold presidential elections on Dec. 3, 2006. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton) (Andres Leighton - AP)

CARACAS, Venezuela -- President Hugo Chavez said Thursday during a marathon news conference that authorities had foiled a planned sniper attack against his main opponent in this weekend's elections.

As campaigning ended ahead of Sunday's vote, Chavez said "fascist" militants had planned to use a rifle with a telescopic sight to shoot Manuel Rosales during a speech and then blame it on Chavez's government in hopes of derailing the balloting.

"It was to say that Chavez sent them to kill him, and generate chaos," Chavez told reporters at the presidential palace.

The Venezuelan leader used the 3 1/2-hour news conference to laud achievements of his "people's revolution" _ citing statistics on lowered unemployment, a deep drop in poverty and petroleum-fueled economic growth.

He even quoted analysts from major foreign banks as saying the most dangerous scenario for this politically polarized country would be a Chavez election loss.

Chavez also said that upon re-election he would immediately convene a special commission to propose constitutional reforms to be approved by voters, likely including an end to presidential term limits. The current constitution would bar Chavez from running again in 2012.

Campaigning ended Thursday with red-clad Chavez supporters parading through downtown Caracas chanting: "Chavez isn't going anywhere!"

Rosales supporters cite polls showing Sunday's balloting will be tight, although an independent AP-Ipsos survey and other recent polls found Chavez with a large lead.

Rosales has called the vote a choice between democracy and an increasingly authoritarian Cuba-style system. Chavez, who was swept into power in 1998 on popular discontent with a corrupt political class, calls Rosales a U.S. lackey.

On the alleged assassination plot, Chavez said authorities had seized the rifle from a vehicle. In answer to a reporter's question later, he said that a military officer had been arrested for meeting with civilian plotters. He did not offer further details.

A high-ranking military official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he's not authorized to talk to reporters, confirmed that a naval officer was under investigation.

Rosales' campaign said it had no knowledge of the plan.