A newly released nationwide poll among likely voters in Venezuela shows President Hugo Chavez in a vulnerable position as he heads into the December 3 Presidential Election.

In a press releasem Penn, Schoen, and Berland say the poll measured the state of the current Presidential race between Chavez, Zulia Governor Manuel Rosales, and Comedian Benjamin Rausseo.

The poll finds Rosales trailing Chavez by just 13 points today.

"This is going to be a closer election than a lot of people realize," said Dr. Douglas E. Schoen, the author of the study.

Dr. Schoen's poll found the following results in the race for President:

Question Text: If the presidential elections were held today for whom would you vote?

  Hugo Chavez with 50% of the vote
  Manual Rosales with 37% of the vote
  Benjamin Rausseo with 3% of the vote
  9% of the electorate was Undecided.

The Penn, Schoen, and Berland survey also sought to uncover the job that the people of Venezuela believe Hugo Chavez is doing addressing the most critical issues facing the country. This data finds that the majority of voters are displeased with the job Chavez is doing on nearly every issue.

Dr. Schoen said "On issue after issue, Chavez gets failing marks from the Venezuelan people. This leaves his opposition, namely Governor Rosales, with a big opportunity to make the case that it is time for a change, and rally the people behind his candidacy."

Question Text: How would you rate the job Hugo Chavez has done on the following issues? Excellent, Good, Fair or Poor?

  "Security"
73% say Chavez has done only a Fair or Poor job.

  Excellent   11%
  Good        15%
  Fair        29%
  Poor        44%
  Don't Know   1%

  "Reducing the level of Crime"
69% say Chavez has done only a Fair or Poor

  Excellent   14%
  Good        17%
  Fair        25%
  Poor        44%
  Don't Know   1%

  "Ending Corruption"
 64% say Chavez has done only a Fair or Poor job

  Excellent   16%
  Good        19%
  Fair        22%
  Poor        42%
  Don't Know   1%

  "Eradicating Poverty"
  62% say Chavez has done only a Fair or Poor job

  Excellent   14%
  Good        24%
  Fair        24%
  Poor        38%
  Don't Know   1%

  "Creating Jobs"
  62% say Chavez has done only a Fair or Poor job

  Excellent   14%
  Good        23%
  Fair        27%
  Poor        35%
  Don't Know   1%

  "Unifying the country and incorporating all the sectors"
  57% say Chavez has done only a Fair or Poor job

  Excellent   17%
  Good        25%
  Fair        22%
  Poor        35%
  Don't Know   1%

  "Managing the country's oil reserves"
  54% say Chavez has done only a Fair or Poor job

  Excellent   20%
  Good        26%
  Fair        20%
  Poor        34%
  Don't Know   1%

  "Work for all Venezuelans"
  54% say Chavez has done only a Fair or Poor job

  Excellent   20%
  Good        26%
  Fair        21%
  Poor        33%
  Don't Know   1%

  "Work for all the regions of Venezuela"
  54% say Chavez has done only a Fair or Poor job

  Excellent   19%
  Good        26%
  Fair        23%
  Poor        31%
  Don't Know   1%

  "Housing"
  53% say Chavez has done only a Fair or Poor job.

  Excellent   19%
  Good        26%
  Fair        27%
  Poor        26%
  Don't Know   1%

  "Improving relations with other countries"
  52% say Chavez has done only a Fair or Poor job

  Excellent   21%
  Good        27%
  Fair        22%
  Poor        30%
  Don't Know   1%

  "Public Health"
  52 % say Chavez has done only a Fair or Poor job

  Excellent   23%
  Good        24%
  Fair        27%
  Poor        25%
  Don't Know   1%

  "Education"
  43% say Chavez has done only a Fair or Poor job.

  Excellent   29%
  Good        27%
  Fair        23%
  Poor        20%
  Don't Know   1%

Background:

The Penn, Schoen & Berland poll was a nationwide poll of 2,000 likely voters conducted in Spanish. The administration of the survey was designed to ensure that survey respondents felt anonymous. The dates that the interviewing took place were August 26, 2006 through September 1, 2006.

Penn, Schoen, and Berland partnered with a local market research and polling company named Datos Information Resources in Caracas in an independent poll done for "a consortium of business leaders."