1.   But he has taken fewer steps towards democracy than Jerry Rawlings, the former coup leader turned democratically elected president.

2.   In addition, two other former coup plotters were elected president of the Senate and governor of the important oil-producing state of Zulia.

3.   The elected president of Venezuela is a former military coup leader who has made all-out war on the Congress and the courts.

4.   Polls show he maintains a solid lead over his closest rival, Francisco Arias Cardenas, one of the former fellow coup leaders.

5.   A former Caracas mayor dropped out of the presidential race Tuesday, two days after a leftist coalition led by a former coup leader dominated congressional elections.

6.   A sharp drop in oil prices and the surging candidacy of a populist former coup leader have endangered growth prospects in Venezuela.

7.   A series of arrests and attacks raised fears Tuesday of a government clampdown in Gambia just days after a former coup commander was elected to his second presidential term.

8.   Another former coup leader, retired Lt. Col. Jesus Urdaneta, called on Chavez to fire two cabinet ministers and the head of the legislature.

9.   Arias and the other two former coup leaders recently broke with Chavez, saying the president is betraying the original revolutionary goals of their rebellion.

10.   But he faces serious opposition for the first time from a popular ex-governor and fellow former coup leader, Francisco Arias, who recently broke with Chavez.