chavez

To some he is the saviour of the country, but to others the Venezuelan president appears increasingly dictatorial.

He took office in 1999 and has been viewed as a saviour by those, predominantly poor, Venezuelans who voted for him [EPA]

But some have grown disillusioned with their president and his brand of (***)socialism for the 21st Century(***) [GALLO/GETTY]

His opponents argue that he is increasingly behaving like a dictator and clamping down on those who do not agree with his policies [GALLO/GETTY]

He has implemented socialist reforms - including the creation of a new constitution and the nationalisation of key industries - as part of his Bolivarian Revolution [GALLO/GETTY]

But despite social programmes, which have focused on providing education and health care for all, poverty and unemployment remains widespread [GALLO/GETTY]

And critics argue that his housing policy has also been a failure [GALLO/GETTY]

In the country of 29 million people, about 51% of the population is thought to live in shantytowns with little access to basic services [GALLO/GETTY]

As part of his housing policy, Chavez plans to build two million homes for those on low incomes by 2017 [GALLO/GETTY]

But opponents argue that this is part of an electoral ploy in the run-up to the 2012 election, in which Chavez plans to run for a fourth term [GALLO/GETTY]

Chavez has also clashed with church leaders who he says have sided with the wealthy [GALLO/GETTY]

Venezuela has strong relations with Cuba, providing the island with 100,000 barrels of sunsidised petroleum a day. [EPA]

China and Venezuela have jointly invested over $10bn in oil and infrastructure projects. [GALLO/GETTY]

The Venezuelan president says although he is being treated for cancer, he will still stand for elections in 2012. [EPA]

Voters Reject Chavez(***)(***)s Referendum On Constitutional Reforms Caption: CARACAS, VENEZUELA - DECEMBER 07: Carolina Olivera stands in her front door in the poor barrio of Petare after opposition supporters defeated a referendum on changes to the Constitution proposed by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez December 7, 2007 in Caracas, Venezuela. Petare usually leans heavily pro-Chavez but a majority of the neighborhood voted (***)(***)No(***)(***) against the referendum. The tightly contested referendum proposed an elimination of term limits for Chavez and a transformation of Venezuela into a (***)(***)socialist economy.(***)(***) Voters defeated the measures by a vote of 51 percent to 49 percent. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Voters Reject Chavez(***)(***)s Referendum On Constitutional Reforms Caption: CARACAS, VENEZUELA - DECEMBER 6: A man works on his car in the barrio of Petare after opposition supporters defeated a referendum on changes to the Constitution proposed by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez December 6, 2007 in Caracas, Venezuela. Petare usually leans heavily pro-Chavez but a majority of the neighborhood voted against the referendum. The tightly contested referendum proposed an elimination of term limits for Chavez and a transformation of Venezuela into a (***)(***)socialist economy.(***)(***) Voters defeated the measures by a vote of 51 percent to 49 percent. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Voters Reject Chavez(***)(***)s Referendum On Constitutional Reforms Caption: CARACAS, VENEZUELA - DECEMBER 07: Mist rises over the poor barrio of Petare after opposition supporters defeated a referendum on changes to the Constitution proposed by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez December 7, 2007 in Caracas, Venezuela. Petare usually leans heavily pro-Chavez but a majority of the neighborhood voted (***)(***)No(***)(***) against the referendum. The tightly contested referendum proposed an elimination of term limits for Chavez and a transformation of Venezuela into a (***)(***)socialist economy.(***)(***) Voters defeated the measures by a vote of 51 percent to 49 percent. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

South Of The Border Red Carpet - 66th Venice Film Festival Caption: VENICE, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 07: Venezuela(***)(***)s President Hugo Chavez and director Oliver Stone attends the (***)(***)South Of The Border(***)(***) premiere at the Sala Grande during the 66th Venice Film Festival on September 7, 2009 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Francois Durand/Getty Images)

epa02895375 Venezuela(***)(***)s President, Hugo Chavez, participates in an event at Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Venezuela, 02 September 2011. Chavez left the hospital in a very good condition after receiving a chemotherapy treatment. EPA/DAVID FERNANDEZ

epa02879710 Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez smiles after a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (Not pictured) during a meeting at Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Venezuela, 24 August 2011. EPA/STR

epa02856697 Handout picture provided by the Miraflores Presidential Office, shows Venezuela(***)(***)s President Hugo Chavez appearing with virtually no hair as an effect of the chemotherapy cancer treatment, on 05 August 2011. Chavez said on television that the second phase of this treatment has begun and that in the next hours he would be forced to slow down a little his public profile. EPA/Prensa Miraflores EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES