CARACAS, VENEZUELA – The climate in the Venezuelan capital and across the country is electric. Streets throughout this nation of 29 million teem with supporters of the two leading candidates for the country’s presidency — challenger Henrique Capriles and autocrat Hugo Chavez, who has ruled for 14 years. The race will be decided on Sunday.

The Capriles campaign has gathered momentum steadily since winning an extraordinary 64 percent of the 3 million votes cast in February’s primary among five contenders selected by the opposition’s United Democratic Movement. The Chavez campaign, on the other hand, has never caught fire. The candidate’s clearly failing health has been one issue. Another, more important factor is voter disaffection after 14 years of corrupt and incapable leadership by its undeniably charismatic leader.