CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- President Hugo Chavez's approval rating
                 remained at a low of about 34 percent, according to a poll released Tuesday.

                 About 34 percent of Venezuelans evaluate Chavez's three-year government as
                 "regular-to-good, good or very good," while 63 percent consider it "regular-to-bad,
                 bad or very bad," according to the February 22-26 Datanalisis poll.

                 A December Datanalisis poll found similar results.

                 The populist former paratrooper, whose popularity was about 60 percent this time
                 last year, has faced mounting discontent over a flailing economy and high crime.

                 Opponents have increasingly taken to the streets to demand that Chavez resign,
                 claiming his verbal attacks on Catholic bishops, news media and business elite are
                 fueling class divisions in the impoverished South American nation.

                 A slump in international oil prices has dampened hopes for quick economy
                 recovery, according to Datan alisis director Luis Vicente Leon.

                 The February poll, however, demonstrated that Chavez's popularity is unlikely to
                 decline further if a viable leader doesn't emerge from the splintered and discredited
                 opposition, Leon said.

                 "The opposition will have problems. It is no longer inheriting the points Chavez is
                 losing," said Leon. "It will have to present proposals and leaders."

                 The poll also found that about 64 percent of Venezuelans would vote Chavez out of
                 office if a referendum on the matter were to take place today. About 35 percent
                 would vote that Chavez should remain in office. Venezuela's constitution would
                 allow for such a vote in two years.

                 More than half of those surveyed, however, said they disapproved of a nationwide,
                 general labor strike to demand Chavez's ouster, a blow to opposition labor unions
                 who are threatening such a move this month.

                 The door-to-door poll surveyed 1,000 people nationwide and had a margin of error
                 of 3 percent.

                  Copyright 2002 The Associated Press.