首先，查韦斯是个可怕的竞选对手，他对国家权力的控制可谓无孔不入，从选举委员会到国有石油公司PDVSA都在他的控制下。
For starters, Chávez is a formidable campaigner, and he has at his disposal every available lever of state power, from the Electoral Council to PDVSA, the national oil company.